The Stolen
by LotornoMiko
Summary: Alternate Universe Setting. Lezard, a natural born God has an affinity for all things mortal. Which is a pity conisdering it's forbidden for the Gods to mingle with them. What happens when he gets sticky fingers around a certain human girl?
1. Chapter 1

Standard disclaimer time! I unfortunately do not own the characters or the settings of the game Valkyrie Profile. That honor belongs to Tri Ace and Square Enix. Nor do I make any money off of this fic. This is done purely for fun.

This is one of my many ideas I had for this couple. I was trying to work on chapter six of The War Bride, when this fic idea demanded I work on it. It was so distracting I had to obey. XD

-Michelle

With just a thought, light flooded his workshop, chasing away shadows from every nook and cranny. Something hissed in protest to the light, red eyes flashing before the creature scuttled under pile of wood shavings in it's cage. There was other creatures and other cages, ranging in size from small, to as large as a table. Not all the creatures were moving, the results of some dark experiments that had either gone very wrong, or very right.

His experiments weren't limited to the living, beakers and tubes positioned on a desk in one corner. Colorful liquids bubbled in those tubes, and in one case burst free, the green liquid overheated to the point of exploding. He'd have to clean up that mess himself, he'd allow no one, not even the servants to touch the results of his experiments. Even the failed ones.

He was always tinkering with something, always working to figure out the hows and whys of any and everything. Nothing was safe from his inquisitive mind, so long as it fascinated him, he would set off to explore the intricacies of what made the object what it was. He strove to learn the essence of everything, and he wasn't above manipulating things to see how one would react when mixed together with another.

He had what the other Gods referred to as a mortal's curiosity, his mind ever wondering about any and every thing. Some would say such inquisitiveness made him dangerous, especially when his experiments had birthed abominations. Fortunately for all, the monsters he had inadvertently created, were easily put down, with little repercussions to be had from their brief bit of existence.

Of course, there had been the incident with the mirror, that unobtrusive looking glass that currently sat in one corner, set in a polished bronze frame. To the outside observer it looked like any other mirror, it didn't even appear to be that richly made, and certainly the cracks on it hinted that it was due to be replaced. It's poor state was a deception, the cracks made from the power that was barely contained inside the mirror.

The mirror was rumored to be alive, to have some sentient form of awareness. He certainly thought that explained why on a whim, the mirror would transport things caught in it's reflection. Currently his work shop was arranged so that none of his belongings and experiments could fall within sight of the glass. That was one harsh lesson he had learn a millennia ago, when the first of his creations had been transported to the land of the mortals.

It was forbidden for the Gods to interact directly with the mortals, to take from their world, or to introduce into their realm something from the heavens. This taboo had been around for as long he had been alive, and no one thought to question it. No one that is but him. He'd never get a satisfactory answer, the Gods higher up in the ruling echelon tightlipped about it.

He was daring and bold, but not so to the point he would openly go against such a law. But sometimes, when he was sure no one was looking, he used the mirror to take thing from the mortals. It was always trinkets and trifles, odds and ends the mortals would assume they had misplaced. He had whole rooms filled with his stolen treasure, and like with his experiments, his theft had been varied and dependent on what caught his eye.

Like with all theft, there was a risk involved, though he tried not to think about it. The Gods would surely be angry, surely quick to punish him if they ever learned of his rooms full of mortal items. Fortunately for him, he didn't often get visitors, the Gods content to leave him to his experiments so long as he honored the limitations they had imposed on him.

They should have set up a more advance system of checks and balances on him, his thefts from the mortal realm were getting more daring and extravagant. He might even be dangerously close to breaking the ultimate taboo, and the heavens help him if he did.

And yet he couldn't stop himself, sneaking closer to the mirror. Those cracks seem to light up with power, a glimmering intensity that drew him nearer. He knew he shouldn't, knew he should put a stop to this, and yet he found himself speaking, voice sounded cracked and dry.

"Show me the girl."

The light from the cracks glowed more brightly, spreading out in all directions to coat the silver glass. He watched with breathless anticipation, waiting for her image to appear. The mirror did not disappoint, finding her with ease. He suspected it was from how often he had made the request, and the mirror had never denied him in this regard.

He smiled when he saw her reflected in the glass, his eyes lighting up with the pleasure of viewing her lovely form. Fair of face, and fine of figure, she put even the Goddess of Asgard to shame. His eyes drank in the sight of her face, the high cheek bones, and pouty pink lips. The lightly tanned skinned that never seemed to burn, no matter how many hours she spent working outside.

Her eyes were blue and mesmerizing, and yet as stunning as they were, they were not the most striking of her features. Her crowning glory might very well be her long mane of hair, the length of it falling just short of her ankles, and wound back in a thick braid. It was such an unusual color for a mortal, a striking silver blue that gleamed when any type of light hit it.

Currently she was lit up by the glow of a nearby fire, the flames crackling in the stone and brick setting. A look of concentration was in her eyes, the girl staring down at the fabric placed on her lap, knitting needles in hand. She was most likely knitting some kind of clothing for the ever approaching winter, the fabric shorn from the sheep her family kept on their small, run down farm.

It was silent in the room, although some sound trickled in, stray bits of conversation from one of the other rooms in the house. He frowned then, knowing it was most likely the girl's parents, the man and woman enjoying one long break after another, while they forced their daughter to work her hands to the bone. He didn't think it fair, and he longed to take her away from such selfish beings.

It wasn't the first time he had such a desire, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. The enjoyment he had felt in seeing this beauty was fading, replaced with anger. If he hadn't known it would make the girl's situation even worse, he would have struck down her parents. Smite them down with all the righteous fury of an angry and displeased God. But that would have left her all alone in the world, and in the realm of mortals, women had little options when they ended up on their own.

It angered him to feel so helpless to do anything for her, to be unable to do any lasting good where she was concerned. He was unused to feelings of helplessness, nor this desire to help a mortal, and yet for her he wanted to be better. He didn't understand it, didn't know why this girl in particular called to him. He wanted her though, wanted her as badly if not more than all the other things he had taken from the mortal world.

So he stole quick moments with her, visiting her in her dreams. The land of dreams existed on the borders between the realms, it was possible for all creatures to meet in dreams. Even Gods and humans, a fact he was quick to take advantage of.

"Sleep." He commanded to the mirror, his fingers doing an airy wiggle at her reflection. She tried to fight the sudden onset of weariness, but her eyes were already drooping. By the time the needles clattered to the floor, she had slumped in her seat, knitting draped over her knees.

He smiled in victory then, waving his hand over the mirror, making the glass soften to welcome his stepping through it. There was minimal resistance, like trying to walk against the current of the ocean, but slowly he sank through the rippling glass. And emerged into the girl's dreams, looking around expectantly.

It was dark here, the shared dream not yet having time to take form. He helped it along with his powers, bidding the soft light of the moon to lighten up the area. The darkness slowly receded, leaving only shadows at the edges of the perimeter. With the moonlight now present, he caught sight of a shimmering white glow in the distance, the girl having found her form in this realm.

She was still clad in the plain, cotton and wool garments of her waking world, but at a wish from him, her clothing changed. Clothing made of snow white gossamer and silk apeeared, form fitting to her ample curves. It flared out as it went down her legs, the silk hem draping over her bare feet, and hiding them from sight.

The girl let out a sound, marveling at her dress, her hands moving to touch the delicate fabric. He never got tired of seeing her pleasure, the wonder in her eyes at the fine cloth he garbed her in. To her, the fabric was like nothing she had ever seen, had ever had the privilege to even touch. She probably assumed it was the stuff limited to only the richest of nobles, and in a way she was right. But no mortal had ever had the privilege of such finery save she, the cloth made of the finest fabrics available to those up in the heavens.

It suited her, her skin being such that the coarseness of wool should have never touched her, never come near her beautiful skin. He could have spent a small eternity just staring at her, admiring her in the dress, but then his trip into her dreams would have been a wasted effort.

She looked up at the sounds of his footsteps, the sound deliberately loud to alert her to his approach. A nervous look flickered in her eyes, the girl not knowing what to expect in this shadowy realm.

He smiled as he emerged into view of her, though he purposefully kept shadows wrapped around him, hiding his face. He wanted no chance of her recognizing him, of her putting together the image from her dream with the statues she might see at the temple she sometimes attended.

She seemed to relax when she saw what she assumed was another human approaching her. She didn't know how far off base she as in that assumption, and he did nothing to convince her otherwise. Instead he circled around her, looking without touching, though each pass brought him a step close to her. She did not hold still for his inspection, turning in place so her skirt flared out around her knees, a twirl to it and her.

He moved slow enough to prevent her from getting dizzy, and on his next pass, he allowed his fingers tip to trail across the length of her bare arm. She shivered at the touch, but did not jerk back, an intrigued light in her eyes.

"Who are you?" She asked after an eternity of silence.

"Who do you want me to be?" he countered with his own question, and that always made her blink in confusion. He knew she had no man in her life, no one to claim her, not even a fleeting fancy of one of the boys in her little village. That made him happy, he didn't think he could bare the thought of her being given to another, and though he should have been troubled by the pang his heart gave off, he was too taken by her nearness to notice.

This time he reached out to cup her cheek, and though she did not melt at the touch, she did not shy away from it either. His smile grew, and was returned, though she still looked so uncertain in the moment. They continued to turn in a circle, ever so slowly, never taking their eyes off each other. She kept peering into the shadows that hid his face from her, he would allow only enough light for her to make out the amethyst color of his eyes.

Never breaking the dance they were engaging in, he moved closer to her, his other hand going to rest on the curve of her hip. She settled against him, and began to sway with him at his insistence. She continued to study him, even as his hand left her face, sliding down to touch the nape of her neck. She was pliant in his arms, not resisting, not even trying to get away. She seemed to accept the strangeness of him and their surroundings as part of her dream, and didn't flinch back when he leaned into her.

But as his mouth drew near to hers, lips intent on stealing a kiss, her question broke the easy silence between them. "Why can I never see your face?" It startled him, and he realized she had enough awareness to recognize him from their previous encounters in the dream realm.

He said nothing, but then he didn't have to, the girl persisting with this line of questioning. "I look and I look, and the shadows, they never leave you."

"Maybe I'm just a figment of your imagination." He said at last, resuming their dance though his mouth hungered for the taste of her. "Does it really matter what I look like?" He added, and she slowly shook her head.

'No, I suppose not." He almost smiled anew, thinking she'd drop the subject, until she blurted out the following. "But it would be nice to see...to know you...to know

who you are..."

"Who I am?"

"Yes." A nod then. "I know I've seen you before. Either in my dreams, or in my reality. You feel too familiar to be a stranger..." His hand was dropping from her neck, smoothing down the low cut back of her dress. She shivered but did not protest, and he noted she was always far too trusting in her dreams. "Please...if you won't show me your face, then at least...at least give me a name..."

"A name...?"

"Yes." A smile played at the corners of her mouth, the girl turning teasing just then. "You do have one don't you?"

He had many names, as wide and varied as the life he had lived. It was like that with all Gods, they had their given names, and the names they were known as among the mortals, the humans worshipping them again and again even as the names changed. What would it hurt to tell her his true name, the name not even the mortals knew of? Nothing, he decided. He could tell, and have the pleasure of hearing her speak it, and she would never be one step closer to learning who he really was.

"My name..." He spoke slowly, dragging out the anticipation between them. She seemed to lean forward, lips parting slowly as she took an eager breath. "My name is Leza..."

"LEZARD!"

That female shout, it startled as much as annoyed him, Lezard drawing their dance to a stop. The girl had not heard it, wasn't even aware of what had caused the disturbance in his eyes.

"I have to go." He said with true regret, lifting her hand to his lips, so that he could brush a kiss over her knuckles.

"LEZARD VALETH!" The screech of an incensed female, he almost cringed in his haste to get away.

"Wait!" the girl was calling out, trying to follow him into the darkness. He put up a barrier, blocking her from straying from the moon light, and with one last, regretful look was hurrying back the way he came. He heard her though, her sorrow filled shout following him. "You never told me your name!"

Her voice seemed to echo that accusation, chasing after him as he stepped through the mirror. It resisted him, as though it was loathe to let him back into the heavens, but he didn't have time to wonder why. Not when he was frantic, casting ether about to chase away the scent of the dream world from his clothing. It would be better to stink of magic than to betray his whereabouts, and Lezard turned to make sure the mirror's glow had dimmed.

There in the distance, looking forlorn and upset was the girl, her hands clasped to her chest. He quickly cast a spell, commanding the mirror to become nothing more than glass. The female at his work shop's door continued to scream his name, and now she was rattling the handle, trying to force it open. It would take more than that to get the barrier spell to drop, but he knew his sister had enough power to get through. It would just take some time.

"Lezard Valeth, you open this door this instant!" She threatened, and he hurried towards it. "Or I will tell Odin about your stolen treasures!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" He snarled, all but lunging for the door. He dropped the spell on it, and it flew open, almost striking him in the face. He stepped back with a hiss, fingers adjusting the glasses on his nose. His glare was returned by the blue eyed female, the blonde giving a haughty toss of her head.

"Just what are you up to brother, that you had to lock this door?" His sister demanded of him.

"Ah Mystina, so nice to see you too." Lezard bit out, sarcastic in the moment. She ignored that, sweeping past him to look around his work shop, eyes seeming to miss nothing of his various experiments. She even looked towards the mirror, and her eyes narrowed further, as though she could smell the power it had recently expended for him.

"Lezard, brother dear...you haven't been...stealing again, have you?"

"Of course not Mystina. Why the very thought of it..." He began, not needing to lie in this moment. He had stolen nothing but a few precious moments with a human, surely no one could begrudge him that little of an offense.

"Sometimes I almost believe your lies." Mystina retorted, walking closer to his cage of creatures. She knelt down to peer inside them, her eyes critical as she made sure none of the oddities held there had come from the mortal world. He tolerated her mistrust only because of the sibling love they shared, Lezard knowing his sister was only concerned for him.

"You know you can't keep doing this." She said when she finished her study of the cages. "Sooner of later someone else will catch on, and then where will you be?"

"No one is going to figure it out!" He answered back, earning a scoffing sound from her. "I take only little things, items that don't matter to anyone..."

"They matter to the humans you steal from!" She pointed out. "Lezard, I don't understand why you're so fascinated by them and the things they make..."

"The humans are very clever." He replied. "It's amazing some of the things they come up with."

"Surely not as amazing as the sights of Asgard." She countered. "What can the humans possibly make to rival the creations we Gods come up with?"

"I can think of a few..." Lezard murmured, the image of the girl with the silver blue hair springing to mind. He wanted to get back to her, back to the shared dream. and to do that he had to get rid of his sister. "Did you have a specific reason for coming here, or are you just checking up on me?"

By the flush on Mystina's face, he knew his answer, Lezard sighing. "Really Mystina, I'm doing fine. I haven't stolen anything from the mortals in days..."

"And that alone should be suspicious!" Mystina exclaimed. "Brother, I am worried about you. You are being more secretive and withdrawn than usual..."

"Have I now?" He asked, to which she nodded vigorously.

"Everyone is wondering about you." She added. "They all remembered what happened the last time you stayed cooped up in your work shop."

He grumbled then, flustered annoyance filling him. "Will they never let me live down that embarrassment? It was only a few monsters, and it happened several millennia ago!"

"Those monsters were enough to nearly wipe out the mortals. It was a near catastrophe, is it any wonder they worry?" Mystina demanded, then softened. "Please brother, come out with me. Just for a little while...Prove to everyone you have a life beyond this workshop."

He hesitated, thinking of his human, the girl likely still asleep and waiting for him. "I...I don't.."

"Lezard!" She grit out, stamping her foot in mock tantrum. "I'm asking, no begging you to do this. For me if not for yourself."

"I...I guess I could..." He fought not to look at the mirror, fearing it would react and show an image of the mortal's dreamscape.

Mystina seized his arm, already dragging him towards the door. "Yes, you can." She stated firmly. "Some sun will do some good for you, you're so pale. And I'm sure the other Gods and Goddesses will be delighted to see and speak to you."

"Somehow Mystina, I doubt that." Lezard mumbled, allowing himself to be dragged along. He felt regret in his heart at abandoning his human, but knew that for now he had to keep up appearances, if only to appease his sister's concerns.

To Be Continued...!

Michelle


	2. Chapter 2

He made a field of flowers for her when next they met, the girl turning delighted to see the wide array of colors and shapes. He tried to keep the flowers limited to the kind that grew on the mortal plane, but some exotic species snuck in. Lovely and ethereal, a fine match for the girl's beauty, her eyes lit up at the sight of them. She didn't question where they had cpme from, perhaps not educated enough to know the many different types of flowers that existed in her world.

Certainly she didn't realize such fragile beauty came from a higher realm, the flowers with their furled petals, and cork screw stems. Lezard wondered what they looked like to her, for some of the colors were so dazzling a mortal's eyes could not behold them. Not without assigning a duller shade, a human's color palette limited where a God's was not.

The sparkles that some of the flowers gave off, surely resembled the dew drops of moisture from a recent rain, the girl reaching out to trace a finger carefully over those petals. She had knelt down amidst the flowers, seeming unaware of the way they shifted out of the way in order to make room for her. The flowers of the dreamscape would not be trod on, always quick to move to avoid an unwary step.

Her dress, another gossamer creation, spread out around her as she kneeled, and to Lezard it reminded her of the open petals of a flower, with the girl as the heart of the blossom. She fit among the flowers perfectly, looking very much like a Goddess of Nature, though surely no divine being had ever been as kind and nurturing as this girl was.

She was leaning forward to inhale the fragrance of a white flower, it's petals splattered with crimson drops. Lezard noted how careful she was not to pluck the flower from it's stem, the girl admiring without destroying. Not many, mortal or God would bother, people almost always so uncaring towards that which they forgot was alive. He couldn't even remember if he had ever shown concern for a plant, except perhaps when he was doing an experiment on one.

There was a rustle from the flowers around her, as though a stiff breeze was blowing through the field. In truth the flowers were shifting, hurrying out of Lezard's way so that he could approach the girl. She sensed him, leaning back on her heels, but did not turn to glance his way. Not even when his shadow fell over her, Lezard staring down at the top of her head.

"The flowers are beautiful." The girl said after a lengthy pause. Lezard didn't look away from her, not even to spare a glance at the field. "Thank you for showing them to me."

He blinked then, surprised that she had deduced that he was the one responsible for the flowers. It rather made him uncomfortable, Lezard not wanting her to make too many observations, especially towards what he was capable of doing.

"Why do you think I am responsible for the flowers?" He finally asked, and though she did not glance up at him, he heard the smile in her voice.

"Because...I never see such wondrous things when I am alone..."

"It's your dream." He pointed out. "Surely your mind is capable of many things..."

"I don't think so." Her head shook, self depreciation in her voice now. "I simply lack the imagination to come up with even half of these flowers."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short." Lezard reprimanded her gently. "I'm sure you're capable of a great many things."

"I'm just a poor country girl." She replied. "I continue to exist, solely to keep the farm running...to do the things my parents ask of me..." He bristled at the mention of her parents, but Lezard kept from commenting how they burdened her with too much work, making her run ragged to do far too many things. He often wondered if one day she would just drop from exhaustion, just another broken mortal who had worked far too hard for too little results.

He hated thinking like that, as much as he hated the reality of her situation, Lezard wishing he could do something, anything to change it. But it was forbidden, in so many ways, he was limited to observing her and stealing these moments in her dreams. He wasn't even sure this time spent with her did any good, it wasn't like she was meant to remember them! And though here in the dreamscape he could give her many things, they would all be gone the instant she roused herself from her sleep.

"You're wrong." He finally said, and something, perhaps the passion in his voice, got her to lift her head and look at him. Her look was intent, but something uncertain glimmered in the depths of her eyes. "You have the potential to be so much more."

"The potential..." She shook her head, some of her bangs falling over her eyes, moving Lezard to reach towards them. She went still at his touch, but did not protest as he caressed the strands aside. He smiled at her, though he knew the shadows he cloaked himself in would keep her from seeing that expression. "There is no potential for an uneducated farm girl." Her eyes lowered, a sigh escaping her.

He almost sighed too, knowing there was little chance of her parents allowing her to attend a school. They were simply too poor, barely able to survive the winters.

They'd certainly never be able to pay the fees her schooling would demand. And that wasn't even taking into account they preferred to keep her on the farm, making her their own private slave. Lezard often wondered why they had even bothered to have a child, though he refused to think this girl had been an accident. She was simply too beautiful a soul, too kind, too perfect, to be anything but a miracle.

He was quiet too long, the girl reaching out to caress some of the flowers. Her fingers' strokes were gentle and soft, the flowers seeming to quiver in response. She'd probably never get to see even a quarter of these flowers, many of them not native to the land of her village. As plain as the mortal realm was when compared to the heavens, it still held many pleasing sights, things meant to dazzle the humans.

This girl would most likely never leave her village, never see anything beyond the run down, dilapidated buildings the people of Coriander called homes. She deserved better, should have better, Lezard wanting her surrounded by people and things that could try to rival her beauty, but never surpass it.

"They don't deserve you..." He said at last, his hands moving to cup both sides of her face, making her look up at him. She was startled by his words, and clearly didn't understand, blinking back her confusion. "None of them do..." He shook his head, fighting the growl that wanted to come out. "Not your parents, not the people of your village, not any of the humans of that world!"

She grew frightened then, pulling back so violently, she tipped over onto the grass. Panicked as she was, she didn't notice the flowers had moved, forming a lovely frame around her prone body. Lezard had to fight not to drop down on top of her, the God wanting badly to feel her pinned beneath him.

"Don't be afraid..." He whispered, finding that though he had managed to avoid laying on top of her, he was still kneeling besides her. It was a struggle for Lezard not to touch her, and only the worry that she would scream and shatter the dream kept him from snagging hold of her hair.

She didn't try to lie and say he hadn't frightened her, the girl watching him with fear and wariness in her eyes. "What..." A nervous lick of her lips nearly caused Lezard to moan, leaving him to wonder what was wrong with him that he could be turned on by her fear. "What did you mean by that?"

He sat back, eyeing her, wondering how he could play off his words. Perhaps she'd buy that she misheard him, but he quickly negated that thought, knowing she was neither stupid nor hard of hearing. "It was nothing, I misspoke."

"It didn't sound like nothing..." She was so brave to be that insistent, and it only made him admire her even more than he already did. "That was an odd phrase to use, not the humans of that world...What...what other world is there...?"

Humans were so limited in their world views, neither knowing or caring to know that other worlds existed beyond the three that they knew of. They were content to believe their realm was the center of the universe, with the heavens and the hells existing merely to take in the soul once the body died. He shouldn't try to tell her of any more, it would take her out of her comfort zone, Lezard not wanting to distress her even in her dreams.

"I was angry." He admitted, and tried to distract her with his words. "I see the way they treat you, the way they make you their slave. The way they speak to you, the cruelty your mother and father show you. They try to bring you down, to make you as filthy as they are...but you never let them. You never let them damage you in ways that can't be fixed."

"You...you shouldn't talk about my parents like that." She was still on her back, as though afraid of what would happen if she tried to sit up.

"Even when it's the truth?" Lezard asked. She flushed then, eyes sparking with an emotion he was surprised to see. Anger.

"My parents are...well they mean well. I mean, there's so much to do...and we can't afford any additional help. And they're so old!" She added, and Lezard almost couldn't bear to listen to the excuses coming out of mouth. "Father has that bad back, and that knee injury he got from the war still gives him trouble to this day."

Lezard didn't believe in the man's injuries, feeling he was simply lazy and forcing his daughter to do his share of the work. The woman was no better, preferring to spend her days gossiping with her neighbors than helping her daughter to keep the farm from falling apart. It was a wonder the girl hadn't become twisted inside, a being of hate and vicious emotions. He marveled at the inherent goodness of her soul, the purity of her, that kept her from giving in to the misery of her situation.

"They try their best." She continued. "We all do. It's all anyone can ask of us..."

To avoid upsetting her further, he didn't try to argue with her, though inwardly Lezard was thinking. He knew for a fact those wretched beings she called her parents did not try to do their best, and a plan was hatching. And it was all based on the words she had spoken, Lezard realizing that she might not be able to expect anything more, but he could. Not only that, he could demand it, Lezard suddenly glad the shadows hid his smirking expression so effectively from her.

"Enjoy the flowers." He told her, pushing up off his knees.

"You're leaving?" He couldn't tell if she was pleased or not by that, the girl moving to sit up. He didn't respond, save to bow to her, and then he was fading back into the shadows. But he didn't walk the pathway back to the mirror, instead wandering the dreamscape. It was the nighttime area in her part of the world, Lezard not having to force her to sleep through artificial means.

With most of the village asleep, it was easy to walk from one dream to another, Lezard passing from mind to mind. He saw all manners of dreams, some nice, many not, people tortured by nightmares, fears and worries. The village of Coriander was practically nothing but slums, such a run down town that led to all manners of fear festering in the minds of the villagers.

As he walked, he saw them worrying, wondering how they would survive the coming winter. How they would get the money to pay their taxes. The mayor wondered what he would do if more people moved out of the village, the yearly revenue decreasing, leading to a more ruined state of life. Guilt also manifested in some of the dreams, the people there considering selling off members of their family to slavers. Many did not want to, but they were desperate for the coins such an act would bring to their coffers.

He stepped into a new dream, and the difference here shocked him. There was no fear, no worries, no desperation. Only glee, pure and unfettered, and holding an edge of malice to it. He could hear the laugher, a man and a woman, and amidst that wicked sound, he heard something clinking.

Despite himself, he was intrigued, walking towards the sounds, realizing the clinking was repeating, over and over again. He couldn't place that sound, couldn't imagine the source behind it, not until his foot crunch down on something heavy and metallic. Lezard glanced down, the shadows seeming to fade, revealing coins littered on the floor. They gleamed golden and polished, a face stamped on their fronts, and as he continued to walk this dream, more and more gold appeared, until he was climbing what looked to be a mountain of it.

And what a sight was waiting for him at the top of this mountain, the very ones he was seeking, acting in a joyful, celebratory mood. The man and woman were picking up whole handfuls of the coin, tossing it in the air, to listen to the clink of the gold landing. They were laughing and shrieking, at times pausing to hug each other.

"We're rich! We're rich!" The man said, dancing about in a way that should not have been possible for one who supposedly suffered with a knee injury.

"Give me more gold!" The woman laughed, grabbing coins and stuffing them in her dress' pockets. "Enough gold to buy all the things I want!"

Lezard stood there frowning, trying to understand what he was seeing. Why these two would be delighting in riches, rolling about in a wealth they did not have, when they should be worrying about how to keep the farm going. The questions distracted him from his original intent, Lezard forgetting he had come to implant suggestions that this man and woman treat their daughter with the kind of kindness and care he felt she deserved.

"Finally! That no good daughter of ours is useful for something!" crowed the man, and the woman laughed in wild agreement.

"We should have done this years ago!"

"I don't know why we waited to get rid of her. Ha...let Lenneth be someone else' problem now." The man grabbed fistfuls of coins, eyes looking happier than Lezard could ever recall seeing them. That look faded down at Lezard's growl, the God stepping forward.

"What have you done?" He demanded, the shadows seeming to flee in the face of his anger. "Where has this gold come from?"

"It's our gold now!" The man snarled, the woman gasping, trying to hide behind her husband. "We earned it fair and square."

"Earned it how?" But a sinking suspicion was worrying it's way through his body, Lezard glaring at the man as he waited to be proven wrong.

"What does it matter?" The man asked. "The deal is done...there will be no backing out by either party."

"Deal? What deal?" The man's gaze grew shifty, the woman sneering angrily in Lezard's direction. He had no patience for their games, and barely put thought to action before he was blasting a hot rush of ether at the gold at their feet. The coins began to melt, smoke rising off the bubbling metal. The man and woman screamed, horror on their faces.

"Our gold!" The woman dropped to her knees, seeming not to care of the heat splashing onto her bare hands as she tried to grab hold of the gold liquid. "Give us back our gold!"

In response to that, Lezard sent another blast of ether, melting more of the coin mountain. The man dropped to his knees, a hand reaching out to Lezard in supplication. "I'll tell you what you want, just don't destroy any more of the gold!"

"Then Lenneth. What did you mean about getting rid of her...?" Lezard blasted another spot at the man's hesitation, and it was the woman who cried out.

"We sold her!" There was no guilt or remorse in her eyes, she was actually defiant as she shouted out those words. "There was a man who came to our village...looking for girls...to fill his brothel with..."

"No..." Lezard hissed, abject horror in his voice. "You didn't..."

"It's going to be a harsh winter..." The woman told him. "We won't be able to survive with three mouths to feed..."

"You won't be able to survive without her there to be your slave!" Lezard retorted. "Who will keep the farm running for you now? Him?" Disdain in his voice as he looked over the cowering man.

"With the gold we've been given, we'll be able to hire help. We won't need Lenneth anymore." Explained the woman. "It's a better situation we made for ourselves...with little cost or sacrifice to us."

"You're wrong!" Lezard shouted. "Your daughter was the one good thing about you miserable existence! And you've thrown her away like she's garbage. This is...This is unforgivable!"

This time he aimed his destroying blast not at the gold, but at the woman, not caring of the damage it would do to her psyche to have herself destroyed in a dream. She screamed like a banshee as the skin melted from her bones, and her eyeballs burst in their sockets. The man began to scream and pray, muttering for the Gods to come help him.

"The Gods won't help you now." He told him, voice dispassionate as an another burst of ether destroyed Lenenth's father. The satisfaction he got from disrupting the dreamscape was only marred by the fact that those two miserable wretches would still be alive in the waking world.

The dream was falling apart around him, the two humans no longer there to maintain it. No doubt they had both woken up in their beds, gasping, maybe even screaming as the fear from the dream lingered in their minds. Lezard harbored no illusions that the fear would be enough to make them regret what they had done. Humans as despicable as those two never learned remorse, no matter what was done to them.

There was only so many ways to be able to truly punish parents who could do such a loathsome act like selling their only child. Death would be too good for them, Lezard turning on his heel, running as the dream continued to crumble, the gold mountain fallen apart as he ran down it's side. The shadows were closing in, the dreamscape close to dispersing when he burst free of it's confines.

He arrived not in his workshop, Lezard looking around the cramped bedroom. It was little better than an attic's crawl space, the ceiling low so that he had to bend to avoid bumping his head. A bed was shoved in one corner next to a locked window, it's pane bearing sliver thin cracks that allowed enough air to circulate to leave the room in a perpetual chill.

Shivering beneath a thin blanket was the girl, Lenneth still deep asleep. He began to chant a subduing spell, all to better guarantee she stay in her dreams. It was only then that he felt confidant to approach her, Lezard creeping quietly so that his footsteps did not creak the floorboards and betray his presence to her parents. If he remembered the layout of the house, the two bedrooms were located across from each other, the couple sharing the larger room.

"Lenneth..." He whispered her name, staring down at her sadly. His heart was close to bursting, thumping almost painfully in his chest. It was protesting the fate her parents had left her to, the fate she seemed blissfully unaware of. But it wouldn't last, the brothel owner would come for her, dragging her into her new reality. A reality that might prove her undoing, tearing apart the goodness inside her until nothing was left but a pale imitation of the human he so treasured.

His fingers reached out to trace the side of her face, and he was surprised to note how badly they trembled. He made a fist then, a hot flash of determination surging through him. He couldn't let this future come to be, couldn't let this brilliant soul be consigned to a whore house. A million options flashed through his mind, Lezard dismissing each and every one until there was nothing left to him but one choice. And that was to break taboo, to laugh in the Gods' faces as he did the unthinkable. And thus, gathering the girl up in his arms, Lezard did the only option he thought left to him. He took her.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Kaelin Voidshadow, why thank you! I dunno about that, Lezard might turn out to be the kind of brother who doesn't want his sister to be involved romantically with anyone, even his friend! I can just imagine the kind of things he would do to chase off suitors! But far be it to keep your muse from dreaming about Mystina!

KOUSAGI, thanks! Heh...it was an inadvertant cock blocking since she didn't know what exactly he's up to in that workshop of his. But wait until you see the freak out I envision her having when she learns what he's done!

Alpha Huntress, thank you! It's funny you should mention that, like not even an hour before I got your review, a friend of mine who decided to read the first chapter even though she's never played the games, said it seemed like I was creating a fairytale. And I told her Lezard's keeping treasre rooms of mortals things reminded me of Disney's Ariel. So it's a good comparison you made!


	3. Chapter 3

He had taken a great risk even spending just five minutes in the mortal realm. But he was aware that the greater crime, the thing the Gods might find unforgivable, was currently snuggled against him, her body draped over his arms. Precious burden that she was, he had covered her from head to toe, wrapping her up in the heavy velvet of his cape. Nothing of her showed, not even a single toe, but it was not to hide her so much as to protect her from the harsh environs they currently traveled through.

A fierce wind buffeted around them, so strong that even Lezard shivered, though he knew his body couldn't really feel the cold. Certainly not in the way the humans did, Lezard stepping quicker, his worry apparent. He didn't want to linger here, in this shadowy realm of nightmares, not so long as he had Lenneth to worry about.

It was not the first time he cursed the limitations the girl offered him in the way of his travel, Lezard knowing he couldn't chance an outright teleportation. The Gods would notice such an expenditure of divine energy, notice and come to question him about his travels. They'd even be able to trace back the energy to pinpoint the exact location he had come from, and heaven help him then!

His excursion into the realm of mortals would bring enough trouble at his door, he didn't even want to think the punishments that would be given him for taking the girl from her home. And yet what other choice had he had, Lezard unable to stomach the thought of her, sold and defiled by the men who chose to make use of a brothel's service. The anger and revulsion he felt at what Lenneth's parents had tried to do to her, propelled Lezard forward, helping to keep all his doubts and uncertainties at bay.

It kept him moving through the dreamscape, past the many nightmares of the villagers. He kept Lenneth asleep through it all, not wanting her to wake to a panic at the sights she might see. She'd have enough to deal with, what with the reality of her present situation, stolen from her home in the middle of the night, and brought to a world she could never imagine.

A world she would never get a chance to explore, Lezard knowing he'd have to keep her under lock and key in order to prevent the Gods from discovering her presence in the heavens. He didn't even want to think of the strain being kept imprisoned in his home would have on Lenneth, and yet Lezard felt confidant that life in a cage was so much more preferably to serving strangers on one's back.

Especially when he intended to make her cage a gilded one, leaving her surrounded with wealth and luxury guaranteed to keep the light of pleasure permanently in her eyes. Never would a human be more spoiled than she, Lezard intending to take as fine a care possible with his most dearest of treasures. He was almost looking forward to it now, almost smiling as he thought of the stunned wonder she would show him. He nearly missed the path he was searching for, too caught up in his own hopes and dreams for his and Lenneth's future.

He stepped onto the pathway, the shadows thicker here, trying to make him lose his way. He didn't falter, walking the narrow path back to his workshop, stepping through the mirror. It's glass was still softened, but there was a residual resistance, as though the mirror was trying to prevent Lezard and Lenneth from entering the work shop. As such, there was a loud pop of sound, Lezard nearly stumbling when the mirror released them. He quickly righted himself, hearing the voices of the caged beasts he kept in this room. They sensed what he had brought back with him, and that knowledge excited them.

"Quiet." Lezard snapped in an angry hiss, ether flaring off him in a threat. They quieted with a grumble, but their eyes remained alert, staring in a way that unnerved him. He remembered then the havoc some of his creations had caused on Midgard, the beasts hungering for human flesh. "She is not for you!" He warned them. tightening his arms possessively around the covered Lenneth.

The beasts temporarily quieted, Lezard moved further away from the mirror, his ears cocked for sound. He couldn't hear much, his house seemed empty, though he didn't trust that. Not until he sent a surge of power coursing through the rooms, Lezard testing to make sure his sister wasn't present. No answering surge of power greeted him, Mystina gone for the moment. But that could change, his sister not content to leave him alone for long periods of time. It made her bothersome, and it made Lezard act fast, the God using his ether to drop the barrier around his workshop long enough for the door to unlock.

Lenneth was still hidden in his cloak, but Lezard didn't dare uncover her. Not until she was secured, the God hurrying up the stairs that led out of the basement where his workshop was located. He didn't breathe easier as he made it to the second floor. Lezard on edge and fearing Mystina's return at any moment.

He made it to one of his treasure rooms, an old bedroom that had been converted to hold some of the many things he stole from the world of the mortals. Much of the furniture had been cleared out, Lezard preferring to use the space to properly display his treasure. This room held all manner of things, from glass display cases with twinkling jewels, to a large statue that had caught his eye.

There was music boxes on the shelves, and expensive looking clothing on wooden mannequins. There was a great tapestry on the wall, large enough to hang from ceiling to floor. And on it was a human's idea of the Gods, each divine being displayed with the symbol of their office. Even Lezard and his sister were depicted in the tapestry, and it was for that reason the seamstresses' work had amused him enough to steal.

The tapestry wasn't the only thing on the wall, though it was the most beautiful. But there were paintings, landscapes both real and imagined by the humans. They brightened the room, the colors all bold and complimenting one another. The ornate brilliance wasn't just limited to the walls, a brilliant hue of blue satin bunting covering the ceiling. It wasn't limited to just one shade of blue, it contained them all, even some the humans had never seen and would have no name for.

Splattered on the bunting was stardust, the silver and white sparkling continuously with a dim glow of power. To Lezard, staring up at the ceiling was very much like looking up at the sky, seeing it shimmer from one shade to the next.

There were other things on display in the room, things mounted on the walls, or hidden behind protective crystal. The shelves were lined with oddities, curious things that had caught his attention, and might even be among the greatest things a human might ever invent. And yet, he strode past them all with barely a second glance, Lezard knowing the woman in his arms far surpassed all his trinkets and gadgets.

There was a bed in one corner of the room, he often made use of it, laying back against the goose feather pillows as he admired his treasures. How many days did he waste away just looking, staring up at the ceiling, or studying the paintings, each one seeming to show a previously undiscovered detail about them. He could even remember drifting off to sleep, the music boxes playing their songs.

Now he walked to the bed, his intent to lay Lenneth down on a mattress that would be far softer than anything she had ever slept on before. The bed spread itself was a work of art, an elaborate design of lace with strong webbings of silk, delicate in appearance, but sturdy in strength. It made a suitable frame for Lenneth's loveliness, Lezard carefully unwrapping her from his cloak.

She didn't stir through any of it, the magical sleep he had compelled her with, clinging fast to her mind. Lezard didn't try to lift it now, content to let her dream, to allow her a few more precious moments of a world where her life wasn't in upheaval. It was a kindness he could afford to do, Lezard easing her down onto the pillows. Her hair was unbound, and freshly clean, Lezard sneaking the pleasure of stroking his fingers through the length of it.

He could lose himself in the action, Lezard enjoying the feel of her hair against his skin. Surely no finer silk existed than that of Lenneth's hair, and though the stress of what he did still weighed heavily upon him, Lezard found himself relaxing just a bit. He studied her sleeping face as he continued to stoke her hair, Lezard noting her lashes were thick and dark against her cheeks.

She was exactly like she looked like in the dream world, all delicate boned femininity, with lips that seemed to be in a perpetual pout. That mouth could promise sin and seduction, or break one's heart with a simple turning down of it's corners. And if they parted in silken invitation, surely many a man's blood did boil. Just imagining her smiling at him was enough to have Lezard drawing in a sharp breath, the God realizing he was leaning over her. He quickly pulled back, not wanting to overstep his bounds, even when...especially when his treasure was asleep.

And she was his treasure, his most cherished of possessions. Lenneth was a jewel, one that far outshone all the others encased in this room. And as such she should be treated with the same respect and reverence he granted those other treasures, Lenneth a possession to be looked on and admired, but never molested. Certainly never by his hand, Lezard guiltily pulling his hand free of her hair.

And yet he couldn't bring himself to leave the room, to leave her, Lezard staring in a sort of helpless fascination at Lenneth. She really was far too beautiful for her own good, and he could understand why those wretched humans might think to profit off her looks. Even garbed in that drab night gown of coarse wool, she was far too tempting, Lezard's eyes passing over her still form.

That gown seemed dreadfully plain in comparison to Lenneth's stunning looks, and he found himself reaching towards her once more. His hands shook, a sign of his agitation and excitement, Lezard touching his fingertips to her stomach. They glowed with power, though it was a soft, subtle amount, Lezard working the energy into her clothing. The fibers seemed to dissolve, leaving her body coated in the white and gold glow of ether, the light maintaining her privacy.

He tried not to think of how she was naked under the ether, how just with one thought from him, the glow would fade, and reveal her in all her unclothed glory to him. Instead he concentrated, Lezard using his powers to weave a new fabric around her body, creating a dress not at all dissimilar to the ones he had given her in her dreams. When the light faded, he saw the dress, hanging low on her chest so that her shoulders were bare, her cleavage nearly revealed. The gown itself was made of a soft, clinging fabric, that pulled tight across her breasts.

It was a nightgown like no other, with a myriad of diamonds dusted over the front of the dress. Each one small and perfect, identical to it's neighbors, they twinkled as they reflected the soft lighting of the room. The diamonds were even scattered on the folds of her skirt, that dress extending down almost to her toes, which he had covered with the softest of white slippers.

Dressed as she now was, she truly looked at home among his treasures, Lezard smiling to himself. The smile didn't last long, he felt the divine presence enter his home, Lezard realizing his sister had returned. He almost swore then, jerking off the edge of the bed, nearly forgetting to retrieve his cape. He tracked Mystina through the house, noting she didn't seem to be in a hurry, lingering in one of the rooms on the first floor.

With a sigh, and one last longing look at Lenneth, he hurried out of the room, pausing only long enough to lock the door behind him. He couldn't, wouldn't risk Lenneth awakening, knowing it would be a disaster to have her come out while Mystina was present. He loved his sister, he truly did, but he feared her reaction if she should learn what he had done. Mystina might be able to excuse him for stealing trinkets from the mortal world, but to take a living, breathing being? That she might find inexcusable.

As he hurried down the stairs, he heard his sister's voice, Mystina calling out a greeting to him. "Lezard, it's about time you came up out of that dreary workshop of yours."

He cleared the landing, and moved to enter the foyer, Mystina already coming towards him. She wore a surprised look on her face, the Goddess realizing he had come not from the basement, but from the upstairs. "Lezard?"

"Just merely taking a break to admire my treasure." It wasn't exactly a lie, though he made sure not to elaborate on just which of his possessions he had been so fixated on.

"A break..." Mystina's lips flattened into a thin line of disapproval. "And now that you are done with your break, do you intend to return to your workshop?"

"I had considered it, yes." It was the last thing he wanted to do, Lezard more concerned with keeping watch over Lenneth than anything else.

His answer tore a sigh from his sister's lips, the Goddess shaking her head no. "I wish you wouldn't. You should come with me to visit the others...they miss you...they truly do."

"Now that is a lie if ever I heard one." Lezard chided her softly. "You know as well as I do that the Gods have little use for me. And I for them. At best we merely tolerate each other's presence."

"You could do more than tolerate if you truly cared to try!" replied Mystina. "Lezard, you can't be happy like this. All alone, with nothing to keep you company save for me and that which you create."

"I've always been the solitary sort." He defended himself. "You know this..."

"Yes, but...I remember a time, a time a millennia ago when you made the effort to talk with someone other than me. To discuss things that had nothing to do with your work, or assuaging the fears of the other Gods about the things that you endeavor to do."

"Conversation with the other Gods is hardly what I would call stimulating." Lezard complained. "It's always about court gossip and political intrigue. Who is sleeping with whom, and who is plotting to overthrow the other. If you're not talking about someone, than you yourself end up the topic of discussion. I've little interest in such petty things."

"Come now! They're not ALL like that!" protested Mystina.

"Well, you aren't...for the most part." Lezard allowed with a grumble.

Thankfully she didn't complain about his words, Mystina drawing closer to him. "There are others too, that you might find worthwhile. You could make some allies, friends even...and..."

"And?" he asked, turning suspicious at her nervous fidget.

"Well...you're at that age."

"What age?" demanded Lezard, crossing his arms over his chest.

Mystina sighed, surely sensing she had put him on the defensive with her words. "It's about time you take a wife...Or at the very least, a lover." She amended at his annoyed growl. "You have to try..." She added, reaching out to place a hand on his arm, her gaze pleading. "You know I worry about you, all alone in this house. And maybe, if you fell in love, you'd stop obsessing over mortal affairs!"

"Love..." His lip curled into a sneer, Lezard shrugging off his sister's hand. "That is one thing that is not for the likes of me."

"Why do you say that?" She cried plaintively.

"Mystina, be real...Can you honestly imagine me paired up with one of the Goddesses in this realm?" She hesitated, and he smiled, though it was without any cruelty or triumph in that expression. "You can't."

"Just because I can't, doesn't mean it's not possible!" Her passion flared, Mystina looking earnest in the moment. "You can't continue like this. You can't stay married to your work..."

"My work is important." Lezard began, but she interrupted him, shaking her head no.

"Only to you! You know how it...unsettles the other Gods. They'd be happy if you closed down your workshop, and never tinkered with those experiments again." He stared at her as though it was an alien concept she had spoken of, Lezard frowning. Mystina mirrored his expression, her eyes troubled. She seemed to be holding her breath, as though hoping her words would somehow sway him.

"If this is what you've come here to say, then you've wasted your time." Lezard said, already turning his back to her.

"Don't!" She cried out, grabbing at his arm, as though that would keep him from leaving. "Lezard..."

"Sister, it's late. And I have things I must see to, urgent matters that can't be left unattended for long." He was thinking of Lenneth when he spoke, but Mystina didn't know that, tugging on his arm to get him to face her,

"More urgent than spending time with your sister?" It was a light, airy question, but disappointment colored her eyes when he nodded. Her lips pursed together, she was fighting some hateful expression, hurt by his rejection. "Lezard, you are.."

"I am what?" He asked when she trailed off, his sister looking at him funny. "What is it?" Instead of answering, she reached towards him, fingers snagging hold of something on his cape. He thought it a loose thread, but as she held it up, it caught the light, gleaming a silver blue color. He recognized it instantly for what it was, one of Lenneth's hairs, and dread filled him.

"What is this?" Mystina asked, staring at the strand held between her fingers. "Where did it come from?"

"Ah that?" He blinked slowly though his mind was racing. "That is simply a piece fallen off of my newest treasure."

"Treasure you say?" She met his unwavering gaze, surely sensing the truth of his words. And then she seemed to explode, irritation coloring her words. "Lezard! You went and took something from the mortals again, haven't you?"

"It...it was just a small thing." He lied, his tone defensive. "I'm sure they won't even miss it." Would the lies never cease falling from his lips? Lezard didn't know, almost as surely as he knew that Lenneth's parents would miss her. If not because they harbored any real affection for their daughter, then for the gold they would lose out on when she continued to stay missing.

"You endanger yourself every time you steal!" Mystina retorted, hands on her hips. "What's more, you put me in the unenviable position of having to lie for you!"

"I don't ask you too!

"Oh you don't! Then what do you call expecting me to turn a blind eye to these thefts? Lezard, we will both be in trouble if this continues. You must stop. Please." Her tone had turned begging, Mystina clasping her hands together as she stared at him.

"This...this will be the last one." He finally answered, watching as some of his sister's tension left her body through a sigh. "There can be no greater treasure than that which I took tonight." As soon as he said that, Lezard realized it had been a mistake, Mystina turning curious.

"Oh? And what is it that you took? Can I see it?"

"You can't!" he blurted out, and even to himself, he sounded panicked. It immediately raised his sister's suspicion, her gaze narrowing at him.

"'Why can't I?" She demanded, advancing a step towards him.

"Because it's mine!" He refused to back up, instead walking forward to force her away from the staircase. She moved but with protests, Lezard herding her towards his home's door.

"Of course it's yours! I wouldn't try to take it from you!" But he knew Mystina surely would, and if she didn't report him to Odin, than she would surely insist they return Lenneth to her parents. "I just want to see it. You've let me see some of your other treasures. Why is this one different?"

"You wouldn't understand." He retorted, and with a concentrated amount of effort, the door swung open on it's own. She was still questioning him, as he tried to shove her outside, Mystina confused and upset by his actions.

"I already don't understand!" She was trying to hold onto the door frame, loathe to leave him even in his moment of hostility. "You're not acting normal, even for you, brother! I have a bad feeling about this treasure..."

"You always feel that way when I bring something new into the house." Lezard managed to shove her away from the door, Mystina flailing her arms about in an attempt not to fall over from his rough push.

"Lezard!" The door was already slamming shut, Lezard locking and erecting a barrier around it. He heard her pound her fists on the door, her cries still frantic, pleading with him to let her back in, to at least grant her the right to see what he had brought into their lives. He stayed silent through all of this, regretful of his actions, but not to the point he would undo them. There was simply no way he would allow Mystina to know about Lenneth, simply no way he would allow her or anyone else to take his most precious treasure from him.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Kaelin Voidshadow, whoah whoah! I didn't even mention Loki, so no need to fret about him. Maybe not ever! ^_- And as always, I thank you for reading and your comments. :D

Alpha Huntress, ah but that's good! If it caused you mixed feelings, it hopefully means I got you caught up into the writing, so that you echoed what the character felt. Next chapter should have Lenneth's reaction, since I plan to finally have her wake up and discover what she's been thrust into. And you're right, it is a nice change to have her not hate him right from the start! Though she'll be rightfully afraid of this familair stranger who stole her from her home. ^^;;


	4. Chapter 4

The first thing she truly noticed, as Lenneth drifted closer to awakening, was the lack of the breeze that constantly blew through her room. It was there throughout all the seasons, thought it blew it's coldest in the winter, leaving her so chilled she thought her toes would freeze off. Nothing she did to insulate her room, could keep the breeze from her long, the air seeping in through cracks in the window. She had known for a while that her window needed to be repaired, but there was never enough money, certainly not enough to spare to replacing the cracked glass.

She had known that, and thus had not complained, Lenneth accepting that her family's situation was a poor one. Especially where finance was concerned, there barely being enough coin to keep the farm from total collapse. It was just the way it was, the family living off the land, growing much of their own food, and making clothing and blankets from the few sheep they kept on the farm.

Of course they tried to sell the items and food the farm helped make, but it was a tough time in Midgard. This was especially true for her village, Coriander, everyone scrounging about to make money. The occasional visitor to the village, often found themselves bombarded with choices, the men and women of Coriander eager to make a quick coin. It was never enough, the village struggling, on the verge of collapse in all corners.

Lenneth tried to be optimistic, but she often came away with the feeling that one day soon Coriander would disappear altogether. Especially at the rate people were moving out of it, abandoning their homes and farms as they took off to what would prove to be more lucrative pastures. She often wondered why her parents never spoke of doing the same, though inwardly she knew. They simply didn't have the money needed to start over elsewhere.

So they stayed, their house growing more run down, stopping just short of falling apart altogether. She tried her best, really she did, Lenneth striving to keep both her family and house intact. But there was only so much she could do, her body lacking the strength of a man, rendering certain chores impossible. Lenneth had often thought her parents would have been happier with a son, for then he would be able to surely improve the family's lot in life. If not with work on the farm, then by going to fight in a war, earning a soldier's pension for the family.

She sighed at that thought, and turned her head, and it was then that she realized how soft her pillow was. Her eyes started to flutter open, Lenneth knowing the coarse straw from a hay stack couldn't compare to the plush softness of a bird's feathers. And yet, that was what she was truly feeling, the girl confused by the sensation. And as she opened her eyes, she realized she was laying on a large mattress that was almost as equally soft as the pillows.

Heaven! That is what she thought, as she enjoyed the softness against her skin. She actually rubbed her cheek against the satin fabric of the pillow, a smile lighting her face. It made her want to slip back into a deeper sleep, and it was then that the thought occurred to Lenneth that she wasn't dreaming. That the bed and pillows with all their softness was REAL.

Instantly she was alert, shooting up to a sitting position, and blinking in confusion at her surroundings. It was a room like she had never seen before, full of many things, both wondrous and strange. It looked like a pirate's treasure hold, with chests stuffed to overflowing so that their lids could not close completely. She could see some of what was inside those wood crates, fabrics sticking out, as well as strands of pearls, and jewels.

That was only the begginning of the riches, far more splendid items out on display, laid out before her like an offering. She couldn't keep from gaping at the clothing that decorated headless mannequins, seeing the wealth in those fabrics. Nor could she stop from marveling at the elegant creations of jewelry that were bound inside glass cases. It was the finest of metals and most precious of stones that glinted gaudily in the room, no rhyme or reason for their presence save to be part of this mad collection.

There were other things, huge paintings, peculiar tapestries, even a large marble statue in one corner of the room. And then there was the oddities, strange things that looked more at home in the laboratory of a mad scientist than on display here among this treasure. Lenneth couldn't even begin to imagine what all of them did, but her eyes were already turning to an ornate mirror that was situated in just the right way to catch her reflection as she sat on the bed.

No sound escaped her, not even a gasp as she stared with wide eyed shock at the image it showed her. Lenneth actually moved her hands, as if testing what she saw was real, and then she was glancing downward, staring at the nightgown that clung to her body. It was not familiar clothing, never had she worn anything like this in her life, and her chest heaved, Lenneth dangerously close to panicking.

The gown was as flimsy as it was tight, the girl plucking at the fabric of her skirt, pulling it out so she could see how thin it truly was. She almost didn't notice the diamonds that was scattered freely on the skirt, her growing sense of fear mounting. Where was she? And who had dressed her in this nightgown? She didn't have answers to either question, and that only increased her panic, the girl trying not to dwell on the thought that someone had surely seen her naked.

She dropped her skirt, ill at ease, and fighting nausea, not understanding what was happening. Lenneth knew that sometimes people went missing from the village, and rumors were always whispering that slavers had come and stolen them during the night. Lenneth would almost think that is what was happening to her, but this room, and the dress didn't match up to her expectations of slavery.

But she couldn't imagine any other excuse, Lenneth frightened and crawling to the edge of the bed. The floor seemed just as extravagant in appearance as the rest of this room, a rug with fanciful designs sewed onto it's plush fabric. And the floor itself was made up of some kind of silver paneling, with delicate looking golden leaves etched into the stone, and spaced out in several directions.

The floor unnerved her almost as much as the ceiling, the blue, satin bunting seeming to change shade every time she looked back up. Her breath continued to heave out in a panicked pant, Lenneth taking shaky, stumbling steps in the direction of the door. She was almost close to reaching it, having broke into an awkward run when the door suddenly flung outwards.

She almost didn't stop in time, Lenneth skidding to so rough a halt, she slipped and fell to the floor. A man's voice was heard, he gasped something out though she was too panicked to properly understand what he said. But she was aware of his footsteps, the man rushing into the room, a concerned look on his face. She noted with interest how the door slammed shut behind him, as if pushed closed by unseen hands.

He tried to kneel down besides her, but she was already crawling backwards, staring at him frightened. Such was her panic, she barely took note of what he looked like, chest heaving as Lenneth took in frantic gulps of air. She ended up bumping her back into one of the chests, and at that violent touch, it spilled jewels down onto her. She flinched at the sudden shower of gems, but otherwise held still, staring wide eyed at the stranger.

He was staring back at her, an odd look in his eyes. What was that expression he now wore? She couldn't place it, even as he inched towards her, crawling on his hands and knees.

"St...stay back!" Lenneth managed to say, in between her shaky gasps for air. He seemed to ignore that command, coming up right besides her. Even worse, his hands reached for her, Lenneth feeling a tremble work it's way through her as she prepared herself for what would surely be her ravishment.

She was left blinking in confusion when all the man did was brush the gems off of her, the jewels plunking loudly on the floor. There was even a gem, an emerald green, that was the size of her fist, but his hand hesitated to touch it for it had lodge itself firmly between her breasts. It's glass was cold, chilling her skin where it lay, but Lenneth made no move to remove it.

"Are you all right?" The man asked her, still leaning over her. His hands were on either side of her legs, close but not touching as the concerned gaze returned to his eyes. Lenneth was still too rattled to take proper note of them, sure her skin had been leeched of all it's colors. Slowly she nodded, and what surely was relief lit up his smile. "Thank goodness!" he said, some of the tension leaving his body. "That was a nasty fall you took..."

"Wh...Where am I?" Lenneth managed to ask, interrupting his attempts at concerned question. "What is this place? This room! These things!" She flung out her arm to take in the room with her gesture, her voice lowering to a near whisper. "Why am I here?"

Silence followed her many questions, the man gazing at her with a considering look in his eyes. It was then that she realized he was wearing glasses, the frame a delicate piece made of what looked to be gold. She would have doubted such a thing possible, too expensive a risk, but after seeing the treasures of this room, Lenneth knew if anyone could afford it, it was this man.

"Answer me..." she pleaded plaintively when she could not bear the silence any longer. "Please..." Lenneth added, feeling desperate. "I don't think I can bear not knowing..." But could she bear the truth? She did not know, another tremble working it's way through her body. He surely noticed the way she shook around him, the man seeming to hesitate over what he would tell her.

"You are in my home." That didn't tell her as much as she wanted to know, but Lenneth couldn't muster up a frown. She wanted to know just where this house of his was located, the girl positive such an extravagant room would not be found anywhere close to Coriander. Which cause another troubled concern, Lenneth wondering how long she had been asleep to be able to be brought to this place.

"Did you drug me?" The question came out before she could stop it, and she saw the astonishment in his eyes. This man was either a very good actor, or she hadn't been drugged by him.

"'What? NO!" He shook his head, frowning at her. "I would never resort to using chemicals to alter your state."

Lenneth didn't relax at that, still watching his face carefully. "Then if not drugs, how did I get here? How did you bring me from my home to this place? And why? What purpose am I to serve here?"

A shifty look of his gaze, the man seeming not to want to answer such questions. She almost sobbed then in despair, fearing the worse. "Please..." Lenneth whispered, so softly the man leaned into her, straining to understand what she had said. "Please don't hurt me."

"Hurt you?" She flinched at his shout, and he saw it, the man lowering his voice in an attempt to calm her. "I wouldn't dream of it Lenneth." He was saying more, but she barely heard him, too shocked at hearing her name. He knew who she was! Someone had told him about her, maybe the same someone who had given her to him. "In fact, I want to protect you...cherish you..."

"Protect me?" Her voice held a trace of her hysteria, Lenneth shaking her head no. "By taking me from my home? By bringing me to this place, this beautiful but scary room!" He was nodding to everything she was saying, reminding her of a bobble headed doll. "What do you intend to do with me?" She demanded, and gestured at her night gown. "What is the meaning of this flimsy dress...was it you who took my clothes off?"

"Please Lenneth, calm yourself." He urged, and she snapped at him.

"Do not tell me to be calm when you've taken me from everything I know and love!"

"Love?" The word seemed to anger him, though she couldn't imagine why. "Your love was wasted on them!" His eyes seemed to blaze, and now she noticed their color, a purple dark enough to resemble the jewel amethyst. Never had she seen eyes like his, and yet they were familiar to her, though Lenneth couldn't understand why. Nor could she dwell on it long, she was flinching back from his anger, the man agitated, practically snarling at her.

"That mother and father you so profess to care about...the village you grew up in, the neighbors all around you. None of them was worthy of even one ounce of you care and love!"

"What are you saying?" She demanded, though her voice was nowhere near as harsh as his. "You don't know anything..."

"I know everything!" He was still leaning over her, and now he moved his hands, bringing them forward to hover his fingers over her cheeks. But he was careful not to actually touch her, a fact that was not lost on Lenneth. "I saw how they treated you." He told her, his eyes seeming to flicker like angry flames. "How they made you do everything, with little thanks or appreciation for the work that you did."

"They..."

"Always demanding, always wanting you to do more, working you from early morning until well into the night. Your parents treated you little better than a slave, and the only thing that has saved them from total annihilation is that they never raised a hand in violence to you!" He was breathing heavily, but was not finished with his ranting. "Those villagers were no better, they knew what was going on, and none of them chose to stop it!"

"There was nothing to stop!" Lenneth protested quickly. "We are all struggling...we needed to do all we could just to survive...I was happy to help my parents out..." He looked at her as though she was a fool, or someone who had completely lost her mind.

"Happy?" He scoffed then. "They had you brainwashed from an early age. Lenneth, you did nothing but serve them since you were a young child, responsibilities and burdens being placed on your young shoulders. You've never known any other life, never taken a moment for yourself to truly enjoy your youth, or to even get a moment's peace! They've endeavored to beat you down, to crush your spirit, until you are as twisted inside as they are!"

He exhaled slowly then, his fingers tracing down the sides of her face, past her neck and shoulders, and over her breasts. And all the while he never actually touched her, just teasing her with the promise of the press of his fingers. "They've failed." He finished with a smile, and it chased away much of the anger. "No matter what they did, what they tried, you always remained you. A pure, untainted soul...a perfect being."

"I'm not perfect." She denied, and he laughed then, agreeing with her.

"No you're not. If you were, you would have put your parents to task. Would have attempted to stop their horrible treatment of you." His hands were still hovering over her breasts, and her cheeks began to fill with warmth, embarrassed over this. "But you won't have to worry about your parents anymore..."

Now that got her attention away from his hands, her worry making her voice come out sharp. "What do you mean? What have you done? You haven't hurt them have you?"

"They still live if that is what you are concerned with." He answered, and some of her fear lessened. But his answer could be interpreted in so many ways, Lenneth staring at him suspiciously. "Honestly Lenneth. It will not be by my hand that they will suffer..."

"But that implies that they will! Oh, whatever it is, you must stop it! Please!"

"I cannot." Came his answer, the man resolute in this. "Nor do I have any desire to spare them..."

She closed her eyes then, feeling close to tears. She wouldn't give in to the impulse to cry, tensing up instead, then shoving at him with her hands. He clearly wasn't expecting that, the man knocked off balance. Lenneth didn't pause, not even at his startled shout, the girl leaping to her feet, making a desperate run for the door. She took the time to pluck the emerald from her cleavage, tossing it to the floor as she moved.

She hit the door shoulder first, all her strength being used to force the heavy wood open. It seemed to moan in protest, and she heard the man shouting her name. Lenneth didn't spare a glance back at him, slipping through the doorway at the first feasible moment. Her gown's skirt was tangling around her legs, trying to impede her progress, but she kept running, even if she stumbled.

In the near distance she could make out the railing of a stair case, Lenneth lunging in that direction. Gold sparkles seemed to burst before her eyes, and then the man was in front of her, hands reaching to grab her. She gasped in shock, a scream bubbling up within her, Lenneth not understanding how he had gotten in front of her. Lenneth tried to twist away from his hands, turning to run back the way she had come from. And then the sparkles again, the man stepping through them, reaching for her.

"No!" Lenneth cried out, no longer sure of what was real, and what was dream. This couldn't be reality, there was no way this man could always be before her, anymore than that treasure trove of a room could truly exist. "No!" She repeated, wishing for this nightmare to end, even as she jerked back from his hands. Her action was violent, and without thought to the staircase behind her, Lenneth misstepping, feeling her foot dangle over air.

"LENNETH!" The man screamed, and was lunging towards her. But she was already falling, tumbling backwards down an uncertain length of stairs. Her head hit something, hard enough that her vision went black. She heard the enraged scream that accompanied that injury, and as she blinked her eyes rapidly, she saw the man bending over her, gold sparkles surrounding him.

His face had gone stark white in fear, his hands seemed to be trembling as he reached for her. Lenneth could only whimper out a protest, her eyes feeling as heavy as her body, slowly closing shut. Her last thought before she completely passed out was a prayer for this to end, for her to wake up in her bed, safe from this man, and the terror that was roused in her at being in his possession.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, hee! A little busted at least! And Mystina is just getting started. She'll be snooping again and soon! But first Lezard has to deal with the panic and damage he did to his treasure. ^^;; Poor Lenneth...

Kaelin Voidshadow, aw well I can honestly say I don't have any big plans for Loki at the moment. My game plan is more dealing with Lezard, Lenneth, and Mystina...before involving any of the other Gods.


	5. Chapter 5

He could only watch in helpless terror as his treasure, Lenneth, toppled head over heels down the stair case in his home. Too late did Lezard think to move, his hands sweeping through the space she had just seconds ago been in. He didn't so much as catch a strand of her hair, Lenneth falling, her face looking shocked, a panicked scream swallowed back as she fell.

He heard the sickening crack of her head hitting something, and that propelled him into action. He cast about his power, stepping through the gold ether to appear at the base of the stairs. But he was too late to catch her, Lenneth already laying crumpled in a heap at his feet. "Lenneth!" He cried out her name, Lezard dropping to his knees to hover concerned over her.

His hands were reaching for her, her name being screamed out again, all his anguish and fear for her in that sound. Humans were so fragile, so easy to be killed. Would she prove any different? He did not know, and his hands shook as he went to touch her, watching as her eyes fluttered shut. She had maintained her fright even as she slipped away from him, and Lezard cursed himself for scaring her so.

His hands were sifting through her hair, trying to feel the back of her head. They came away wet, Lezard seeing the blood on his hands, and he moaned again in horror. Damaged! His negligence had damaged his most precious keepsake, maybe even broken her beyond repair.

His hands continued to shake, Lezard careful as he used his fingers to caress the wound. As he did this, power glowed on his skin, Lezard concentrating a healing burst of ether on Lenneth's head. He whispered and muttered things as he did this, Lezard knowing he wasn't the best when it came to healing magics. He was more apt to destroy things, his ether quick to blast apart whatever he focused on. But for Lenneth he would try, the ether flowing into her, Lezard lifting her carefully up so that he could cradle her against his chest.

He was afraid to touch her, and yet couldn't go without the warmth of her body against his. He carefully held her head with one hand, letting the ether flow uninterrupted into her wound, Lezard cursing himself for his carelessness. He had never meant for harm to come to her, had taken her from her home with the express purpose of protecting her. And yet harm her he had, his heart seeming to clench in it's chest in response to the accident he had caused.

Oh why hadn't he locked the door behind him? If he had, then this would have never happened. Lenneth would have remained trapped in the room with him, frightened but relatively unharmed. This disaster would have been averted, he wouldn't have Lenneth's blood on his hands!

"I never meant for this to happen..." Lezard whispered to the girl he held in his arms. She was unresponsive, the side of her head resting on his chest. "I only wanted to remove you from that ugly world...to take you away from the cruelty you were suffering..." And to do it, he had gone against every rule he had ever known, risking the wrath of the Gods, and earning his sister's suspicion. And for what? To have it end like this?

NO! It could not, he would not let it. And with that resolution, his ether grew stronger, the power pouring into her until she gasped and moaned. The bleeding stopped, the wound healing, though he feared that underneath her hair she would always bear a scar. Lezard breathed just a bit easier, moving carefully as he gathered Lenneth up in his arms, and stood.

Hurrying up the stairs, Lezard carried his Lenneth back to the treasure room. He wasn't sure that was wise, knowing the room had upset her greatly. He didn't understand it though, why would she be bothered so by the sight of his collection. Didn't she realize what an honor he had bestowed upon her, to place her among such beauty? A beauty she surpassed, even in her stricken state.

He entered the room, and carried her over to the bed, gently lowering her down onto the mattress. But he didn't leave her side, instead choosing to artfully arrange her, his hands careful as he moved her limbs. His hands smoothed down her nightgown, making sure it's skirts were perfectly straight. His final act was to painstakingly arrange her hair, allowing some of it to curl over her shoulders, while sweeping back the rest.

And then, he settled back to wait, his eyes on her face, waiting, willing her to regain consciousness. Time had no true meaning to a God, but for once in Lezard's immortality, he felt impatient, every second taking to long to tick forward. And yet he didn't move, as still as a statue, waiting and watching, noting every breath she took, her lips parting on a sigh.

When at last Lenneth's eyes gave a flicker, he nearly collapsed with relief, Lezard allowing lips to crook up in a smile. His expression was one born of pure nerves, Lezard shocked to realize he was nervous around Lenneth. Tension came with that realization, Lezard wondering why this human girl, as lovely as she was, could affect him so. But affect him she did, her eyes opening fully, despair filling the blue.

It was the sight of him that filled her with that feeling, Lenneth letting out a strangled moan. "No..." She immediately set about to moving, her hands trying to push herself back against the pillows, all in order to gain space from him.

"Lenneth, no, its all right...you're fine now." Lezard said, keeping his tone soft and as reassuring as he could make it. But something was hurting inside, Lezard feeling pain that she could look at him with such fright. He tried to ignore that feeling, leaning towards her, his hands catching at her arms to prevent her from moving any farther away. It certainly saved her from bumping her head on the bed's headboard, Lezard not wanting to risk another blow to her injury, especially not this soon.

"No!" She cried out, a fine tremor shaking her body in his grasp. "It wasn't a dream...this is really happening! This room is real, and so are you!" She seemed even more panicked after voicing that realization out loud, Lenneth struggling. Her head injury made her attempts feeble at best, Lezard harboring the suspicion that the room was spinning around dizzily for her.

"Yes, it's real. All of it is!" Lezard told her, pulling her against him, trying to stop her from thrashing about. His arms locked around her, forming an unbreakable hold form which she could not escape. She tried, though her efforts quickly tired her out, Lenneth slumping against him with a moan. He didn't relax his hold, Lezard finding he enjoyed the feel of her against him a little more than he should.

"I don't understand." Lenneth said at last. She had her head lowered, avoiding looking at him as she spoke. He made a questioning sound, and she responded to it, Lenneth speaking once more. "Any of it. Why I am here...how I came to be here...how you can do the things that you did..."

"I've done nothing unusual..." He began with a nervous chuckle. Lenneth tried to shake her head in response, and the movement cost her, a pain sound leaving her lips.

"You have!" She insisted when she recovered enough to speak. "I saw you..." Lenneth lifted her head then, gazing wild and wide eyed at him. "You moved fast...too fast, and you came out of nowhere, time and time again."

"Surely you imagined it..." Lezard saw her frown, but there was doubt in her eyes. "Lenneth, you just suffered a bad fall...is it any wonder you might be confused on what you saw?"

"I saw you.." She insisted. "There was a burst of light, gold sparkles in the air, each and every time you appeared."

"Lenneth, it's not possible for a man to move like you claim I did. And even less possible for a light to announce his arrival." He began to prey on her uncertainties, Lezard wanting to keep her in the dark about the true nature of his existence. "Surely you were dreaming..."

"A dream..." She worried at her bottom lip, looking so sad and uncertain then. "I wanted THIS to be a dream. I wanted to wake up and find myself back in my home..."

On some level he could understand that, Lenneth frightened of him, and whatever she assumed his intentions were. But it still hurt the same, to think she would prefer to be back in her parent's orbit, suffering their abuse rather than remain here with him. With someone who would cherish her for all time.

Feeling forlorn, he continued to cradle her against him, his mind faltering as he tried to find the words that might somehow make things better for her. "This is your home now..." He said at last, feeling her flinch against him.

"No...No , it is not." She denied softly, and he didn't try to argue with her. But she was gazing up at him, eyes looking so close to tears. On some level she must realize the truth of what he was saying, though she did not want to accept it. "Why am I here?" Lenneth asked after she let out a shaky sounding breath. "What purpose am I to serve?"

"Purpose?" He blinked at that, unsure of what and how much to tell her. He didn't want to run the risk of upsetting her any further, especially when she was still disoriented and in pain from her fall. He instinctively knew that she wasn't ready to hear the truth about her parents and the future they had sought to seal her in to.

Lenneth was staring at him, almost anxious in her distress. Even then she was beautiful, her hair wild around her face, and the tears that threatened to fall at any moment. "I brought you here to...to be admired."

She had been waiting on his words, and now a frown turned her lips down. "To be admired?"

"Yes. A beauty such as yours was wasted on that village. There was no one there to truly appreciate you, to worship and cherish you the way that you deserved." His jaw clenched then, Lezard knowing that at best she would have been leered and pawed at, the men of the brothels not knowing enough of beauty to do anything but destroy it.

"And...and you think you can do this?" Lenneth asked, and he nodded then.

"I'm a, well I guess you could say a collector of beauty." She looked away from him then, eyes taking in the room, and the many objects spread out among it's floor. The sight of his treasure should have been enough to fill her eyes with pleasure, but instead the tears began to fall. They alarmed him, Lezard not knowing what to do to stop them.

"I.." She sniffled, her voice breaking on a sob. "I don't want to be part of your collection! I don't want to be just a...just a thing for you to admire!"

"OH Lenneth, you're so much more than that!" He blurted that out, and instantly wished he could take it back, Lenneth quickly turning her gaze back to him. "I won't ask anything of you..." He quickly said, hoping to distract her from his previous words. "It won't be like on the farm. You won't have to lift a finger...you can simply...exist."

"I...I may not be very smart..." She began, and Lezard quickly interrupted her.

"You may not have had a formal education, but do not sell yourself short! Your mind is quick..."

She gave him a strange look at that, then tried again. "Whatever the case, I know enough to know that this whole situation, strange as it is, cannot be that simple. You'll expect things of me...want things from me, things I am not prepared to give."

It took Lezard a few seconds to understand what she meant by that, and when he did he drew out a sharp breath. "You think I would...that I..." A blush was blooming on her face, the color standing out as a stark contrast to the paleness her skin continued to maintain. "I am not like those men! I would never think to demand such a thing from you. I would never force myself on you..."

Lenneth didn't look reassured. "Aren't you already forcing me?" She questioned. "Taking away my choices by bringing me here..."

Her words were like a slap in the face, and Lezard reacted, feeling irrational anger course through him. "You want to talk about force?" He demanded, unable to stop

the harshness of his voice even as she flinched and tried to move back from him. His arms were still holding her trapped against him, Lezard not relaxing them even one inch as he talked, his voice an angry clip.

"You want to know about choices being taken away from you?" He continued, and she only stared at him, her unease apparent on her face. This was bad, he knew it, Lezard certain she wasn't ready to hear the truth about her parents and their decision to sell her. And yet he was so upset in the moment, so hurt by her words, he couldn't stop himself from spilling all.

"Then how would you feel to know what your parents plotted behind your back?"

"My parents?" Lenneth gasped at, and turned urgent. "What about my parents?"

"They don't even deserve to call themselves that! Not after what they've done...what they tried to do." Lezard ranted. "As if their crimes against you weren't numerous as is, they actually sought to turn a profit off of you!" She didn't understand, but she soon would, Lezard continuing grimly. "I know you know about the villagers who just up and disappear during the night. They're sold to others, bought as slaves to toil and work away their lives, can you only imagine what would happen to a girl as beautiful as you?"

She didn't speak, but he felt the shiver go through her in response. "Lenneth...those miserable wretches you waste your love on? They SOLD you."

"No..."

"Yes. So eager and greedy for the gold you could earn them, they cared not that they would ruin your life irrevocably...they sold you, and they were glad to do it!" His last words were hurtful, and unneeded, but Lezard was desperate to make her understand the true nature of her parents. Too late did he realize her misunderstanding, Lenneth all but screaming in his arms.

"And what does that make you? You who would buy another person! How much gold did you give them? How much was my life worth to you, to them!" Even then she was crying, the tears seeming to come faster. "Why?" She demanded, her voice lowering to a tortured whisper. "Why would they do this to me? Why would they hate me this much..."

"I don't know." He admitted, hugging her. She struggled against him, refusing the comfort he offered her. "Lenneth, you are a bright and beautiful soul, with so much untapped potential. It's criminal for them not to see it, and I'd damn them to the worse of hells for even thinking to sell you like that."

"But you...you're the one who BOUGHT me."

"I didn't buy you, I SAVED you." Lezard quickly corrected her. "Your parents are evil, trying to sell you to a man who would in turn try to make money off of you, off of your body! I couldn't allow that to happen! Couldn't let such a fate come to pass...it would have destroyed me as much as it would have destroyed you!"

"I don't understand." Lenneth told him. "What are you saying? Why would you care so much? I don't even know you...don't even know your name!"

"Lezard." He quickly supplied. "You can call me Lezard. As for the others, well...is it so difficult to believe that someone with the power could move to right a wrong before it happens?"

"Yes." She promptly answered. "The world doesn't work like that. Strangers don't go out of their way to help another, not without expecting something in return."

"I ask nothing from you." Lezard said, then amended his statement. "Except for you to be happy here. Can you do that for me, Lenneth?"

"I don't know if I can..." She admitted. "This is all so strange to me...and my parents are..."

"Your parents are no longer a concern you need worry about!" He almost wanted to shake her then, annoyed that even after what he had said, she could still feel concern for them. Lezard didn't understand that Lenneth couldn't simply switch off a lifetime of love and devotion, especially when the only proof she had of their misdeeds was the word of a stranger. "Put them out of your mind." He said this in a commanding tone, as if it would be that easy for her to forget about the man and woman who had been a part of her life for so many years. "They don't deserve even a second of your consideration."

"It's not so easy." Lenneth said. "This whole situation, the strangeness of it all...it leaves me with far too much to think about. To worry over." And that was the last thing Lezard wanted for her, the God wishing that he could easily erase all her fears and concerns. But it was no easy task to erase things from a mind, even a God would have difficult with that particular feat.

"Will...will I ever get to see them?" Lenneth finally asked, and something ugly must have shown in his eyes at that question. She seemed to shrank in on herself, frightened of the look he had given her, and yet she still persisted with these questions. "Not even once...to say good-bye?"

"It's better if you forget about them completely." Lezard answered, knowing there was no way he would ever again let her near that awful man and woman. They'd simply find a way to hurt her, and Lenneth didn't deserve that. Nor did she deserve the pain she was currently feeling, her emotions in turmoil, her uncertainties made worse by the revelation of what her parents had done.

"But..."

"Lenneth, no." He firmly insisted. "They are your past. It's best you forget all about them and Coriander." Her eyes lowered, but he knew she hadn't accept his words. Lenneth would most likely continue to torture herself with thoughts of her village and the people she had left behind. Lezard didn't know how to change that, and it spiked his frustration ever higher.

"I don't feel well." Lenneth at last said, and he shifted his hands to touch the back of her head. She winced at the contact, increasing his concern over the injury she had suffered. "I would like to lay down...to sleep if that's possible."

"Of course." Lezard quickly answered, and was letting go of her. She quickly moved away from him, her eagerness to get away upsetting him even as he longed for the feel of her pressed against him once more. "Sleep as long as you need." He added, watching as she laid down against the pillows. She didn't close her eyes though, still wary as she watched him.

"Things will look better in the morning." He decided at last, wondering who he was trying to reassure more. Her or him.

Standing, Lezard had to fight not to sneak one more touch of her hair, the God offering a polite bow to her before hurrying out of the room. He leaned against the door when it was closed, and even then it couldn't block out the sound of Lenneth's heartache, the girl giving in to loud sobs. He clenched his fists, feeling helpless and glaring at the dried blood on his hand. The blood was just one more reminder of how badly he had bungled things, and he could only hope that things would improve between them as the days went on..

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Kousagi, *giggles* I might have fit in three chapters, but then sleep called to me. So I only got five started yesterday...luckily I managed to finish it today! So I hope you enjoy this one as well! :) And thank you so much, I'm glad you liked the descriptions. Although the emerald that fell into her cleavage had nothing to do with her armor's jewel, I just like the imagery of such a big gem ending up there, making Lezard hesitant to try and touch her in such a delicate place! XD And thank you so much regarding my writing. That makes me so happy to hear! :D

Kaelin Voidshadow, thank! :) I'm always happy to hear such nice things! 

Alpha Huntress, thank you! And yes, I plan to have her eventually recognize why his eyes look so familair to her. (Since that is the only part of him the shadows couldn't hide in the dream world.) But I admit, i haven't decided when she find out he's her dream man, if it's before or after Mystina drops the bomb that Lenneth is dealing with gods!


	6. Chapter 6

She opened her eyes with a sigh, and her first thought upon seeing her surroundings was that Lezard was wrong. Things did not look better now that morning had come. If indeed it was even morning, Lenneth frowning as she realized this strange room had no windows. But then it made sense, windows would make it too easy for someone else to gain access to this room and the many treasures it held. Treasures that she herself was counted as a part of. Even if she didn't think herself worthy of being in the same house, let alone the same room as all these expensive items.

And yet she herself had been turned into a display case, an extravagant nightgown on her body. One that's front glinted with dozens upon dozens of diamonds, a small fortune on her body. The nightgown alone was more wealth than she had ever previously seen, and she couldn't help but think how much the diamonds would help her family out if she could sell them.

And with that thought she was blinking back tears, her upset triggered by thoughts of her family, and their purported misdeeds. Lenneth was still leery of trusting everything her host told her, the girl not even sure what word to use when thinking of Lezard. Was he her kidnapper, her captor? Was he savior like he claimed, or something more sinister? Was he her owner? She did not know, Lenneth biting down on her lip to let the pain of that action distract her from the turmoil of her thoughts.

She was sick of crying, Lenneth having spent what had to be hours holed up alone in this room. She had cried and cried until she thought her eyes would dry out, and then sobbed some more. Lenneth knew it was ultimately a useless act, accomplishing nothing save to allow her to wallow in her misery. She needed to do something, anything, take some kind of action though she didn't know just what.

The room didn't help, with all it's twinkling treasures and delicate oddities. She didn't dare touch any of the items, for fear of the damage she might inadvertently do. Lenneth wondered if she was meant to just remain in bed, forever on display, another thing to be admired. She flinched then, recalling Lezard's words, how he had talked about how precious she was, and how she needed protecting and admiration. It was all things she couldn't understand, Lenneth woefully ignorant of just how beautiful she was, both inside and out.

That beauty could be her downfall, her kind nature not wanting to believe the things she had heard about her parents. And yet she didn't know what else to think, Lenneth remembering she had gone to sleep in her own bedroom, only to awaken here in this house. Could her parents have really been so cold hearted and cruel as to sell her? She really didn't know, though Lenneth knew what she wanted to believe.

She was always the kind to believe the best of everyone, Lenneth normally positive to a fault. Where others might see her parents behavior as abusive, she made excuses, Lenneth insisting they were stern but meant well. Even now she tried to think of a way to spin what Lezard had told her, to try and find a reason why her mother and father would ever consider to sell her.

Lenneth only despaired further when she realized she could not, the girl turning a hard look towards the situation leading up to this nightmare. She wasn't often permitted to look over the family's finances directly, Lenneth's father doling out a few coins here and there for her to purchase the things the farm could not give them. Lenneth remembered now that during these past few weeks, her father had been even more strict with their meager budget. The family had been going without, Lenneth being sent to town to try and barter for goods with the items the farm produced. She often returned with nothing to show for her efforts, the other villagers hungry for gold rather than a fair trade.

Even without access to the family's coffers, the signs had been obvious. Their money was running out. Lenneth knew there wasn't much if anything she could do to bring in the coins, the few options available to her abhorrent. Could her parents really have been willing to take away all her choices, and sell her? And to whom? Lezard had not said, though his words hinted at quite the ugly future. It didn't take any stroke of genius to know what he had meant when he said sell her to a man who would have used her body to make money off of her, Lenneth shuddering at the thought of ending up in a brothel.

She didn't want that kind of dead end future for herself, and even though Lenneth may have been deluding herself, she had always held out the hope that someday the family's situation would improve. She had never once considered her family might try to increase their fortune by ridding themselves of her, Lenneth always believing they would work together to find a way to survive.

She sat up, hugging her knees to her chest, her chin resting on the top of them. A troubled frown was on her face, Lenneth continuing to mull over her thoughts. She wanted to confront her mother and father, to demand answers to the questions she now had. She was so full of uncertainties, Lenneth wanting explanations, needing some kind of closure from someone other than the man whose care she was in.

But she also understood he was in no rush to let her confront her parents, the man adamant she remain here. It was not lost on Lenneth that she was locked inside this room, Lezard quick and careful to make sure his latest acquisition didn't run off. Lenneth wondered if it would always be like this, if she would always be his prisoner. She shivered anew at that word, knowing that was what she truly was. No matter how he tried to pretty up the situation, she recognized a cage when she saw it, no matter what strange form it took on.

And it was strange, housing items that might have once held her deepest interest. She still felt the wonder and awe at the sight of them, but it was from a distance, her tormented emotions overriding the curiosity Lenneth would have had to explore them.

A niggling thought whispered through her mind, telling her she would probably have all the time in the world to examine the room's numerous objects at her leisure. She was going nowhere, might never even be allowed outside this room, at least so long as she couldn't persuade Lezard to see reason. And she had doubts that she could, Lenneth not knowing how much he had paid for her. Surely a man, even one misguided with good intentions, would not give up his investment so easily.

She wondered at what kind of man Lezard was, wondered at the mind who could so flippantly treat her like she was mere possession, and not a person who needed to be free. Would he even understand such a thought? She didn't know him well enough to be able to speak for sure, Lenneth having only spent perhaps an hour around him. At least of what she could remember, the girl knowing much of the past day, maybe even days, she had spent unconscious.

Lezard had been polite, or as polite as this exceedingly odd situation could allow one to be. But there had been moments when something else took him over, an irrational kind of anger filling him. It was that anger that had allowed him to reveal the truth of her situation, telling her of her parent's misdeeds. Lenneth didn't understand it, but she recognized enough to know Lezard HATED her parents. She didn't understand where the hatred stemmed from, surely he couldn't be so invested in Lenneth, that he would react so powerfully over their perceived cruelty.

She tried to think, to recall if she had ever seen Lezard before. Perhaps he had come to Coriander and had dealings with her father. But try as she might, she could not place him, Lezard was a stranger to her. Although, there was the oddest feeling of familiarity when she looked into his eyes. Lenneth didn't understand it, with eyes such a piercing purple color, she knew she would never forget their owner.

It was just another mystery to her, one she wondered if she would ever figure out. Lenneth sighed, and slowly moved, her head protesting the action. There was still a mild pain, lingering as a reminder of her plummet down the stair case. Lenneth knew she was lucky to have survived with just that dull throb, instead of a broken neck. But she wished the pain would go away completely.

A slow glance around the room revealed a door off to the eastern corner, almost hidden next to the vast amount of treasure around it. It held carved designs into it's wood, some kind of elaborate scene that she felt too tired to try and figure out. However, the desire to find out what lay beyond the door propelled her off the bed, Lenneth making her slow, careful way to it.

She had to navigate around some of the chests scattered close to the door, Lenneth trying not to disturb anything with an accidental touch. She held this paranoid fear that she might break something, and thus add it's price to the things Lezard would expect of her. The items in this room were all manner of things, and some looked very delicate indeed.

But Lenneth didn't let the fear stop her from reaching the door, the girl taking hold of the polish gold handle, and turning it. She felt relief go through her when the turning was met with no resistance, the girl pushing the door inwards. The light from the treasure room spilled into this new one, and she stood there blinking, trying to adjust to the dimmer illumination. What she could see though made her relieved, Lenneth noting the room was an elegant but fully functional bathroom.

Suddenly aware of how thirsty she felt, she hurried over to the sink, fumbling for the faucets. A pump of the handle had blessedly cool water flowing into her hands, Lenneth cupping them and bringing the liquid to her lips. She drank deeply of the water, though she was hardly refreshed in the moment. She felt a discomfort in her stomach that let her know she was starving, Lenneth wondering when or if Lezard would appear to feed her.

A few more sips of the water, and then she was turning to examine the bathroom. Porcelain and marble seemed to be the key fixtures of this room, the sink and floor tiles made of matching colors. There was a large bathtub taking up space around the eastern corner of the room, with marble steps that would lead down into the water. It was currently filled, the water just short of overflowing, and flowers laying on large leaves, floated on it's surface. Closer examination revealed a mural at the bottom of the tub, the colored tiles revealing an underwater scene of fishes, fauna, and even mythical creatures such as mermaids.

"I shouldn't be surprised." Lenneth murmured softly to herself. "Nothing so far has been ordinary about this place." Nothing, her mind whispered, save for her. How could Lezard expect that she, a simple farm girl, could compare to this extravagant items in his collection? Why even the bathroom sink was extraordinary, with silvers taps, and several hand sized statues lounging about as though the basin was a pool, the faucet it's waterfall.

"I don't belong here!" Lenneth cried out, and turned, her sudden movement making her head throb even more. It made her want to hunch over and cry in pain. Instead she bit her lip, using that to draw her focus away from her head and her upset. Continuing to bite at her lip, she made her slow walk back to the main room, looking about with growing panic.

"He has to realize that!" Lenneth exclaimed, catching sight of her reflection in the mirror. She looked far too pale for her own liking, her eyes large and troubled looking. She understood the reason behind that trouble, Lenneth having wondered what would happen when Lezard finally realized he had no use for her. That there was no point in keeping her here. She shivered and hugged her arms over her chest, wishing she had something not so revealing to wear. There was other clothes in the room, but they didn't seem any better than the nightgown, not to mention how fragile and delicate the fabrics looked! She almost thought they might fall apart in her hands attempt to pull them on, and Lenneth had had the same fear with the bed's blanket.

She felt clumsy and out of place here, and couldn't stop her paranoia from growing. What would be her fate once Lezard realized she didn't fit with his collection? Would it really be as simple as letting her go? WOULD he let her leave? Or had she seen too much? Lezard might not want tales to spread of this room, and the wealth contained within it's walls. Why he might try to permanently silence her, and though she knew her fear was mounting to an irrational point, Lenneth also felt there was a good chance her fears were possible.

Gods! What must she do to avoid things turning even more terrible? Would she have to continue to play treasure for him? Or could she form some other kind of relationship with him, one where he would care about her as a person, enough so that he wouldn't want to hurt her when the inevitable happened?

"Gods, give me the strength." She whispered, and jerked away from the mirror. She was heading back to the bed, it seemed the only safe place in a room not known for it's furniture. Beyond it, hanging on the wall was a tapestry, and her eyes looked over it in what was meant to be a brief glance. That glance turned longer when she realized she was looking at someone's interpretations of the Gods and Goddesses, each and every one there, and recognizable by the symbols of their office.

If not for those symbols, she would not have known what she was looking at, many of the divine beings represented in this tapestry looking far different from the statues and paintings that decorated Coriander's small house of worship. It was fascinating the differences, Lenneth wondering if this extravagant tapestry had been stolen from one of the more renowned temples, or if it had been a private commission.

It was bold, bright colors of thread woven together to form a large group scene, bringing the Gods there to vibrant life. They stood scattered over a sky that was lit up with the dawn's brilliance. Seated on a throne, in the center most point, was Lord Zeus, lightning crackling in his hands. His wife, the Goddess Hera stood next to him, a smattering of pea cock feathers in her hands. She was not smiling, wearing the jealous expression she was known for.

The other Gods were gathered around this royal pair, all perched on clouds, many gazing in direction of their King. Some lurked in corners, the outcasts of the divine pantheon, either by choice or by chance. Lenneth took the time to study each God, noting the elaborate designed robes they wore, picking out who was whom, and taking comfort from the holy object.

It was strange, and most likely stolen like she was, and yet she felt better to see it. Better that is until she found her gaze constantly returning to one God in particular, Lenneth wondering what was it about the bespectacled youth that drew in her gaze. He was one of the outcasts, hunched over a large book, a feather quill in hand. It identified him as Coeus, the God of intellect, rumor to be the creator of writing. A shadow was over him, a tall, blond hair goddess dressed in robes of purple and green leaning over him in sisterly concern. Lenneth recognized her as Coeus' sister, the Goddess Albina, a minor deity of love, and bringer of the Dawn.

Lenneth gave up identifying the other Gods to puzzle over what troubled her over Coeus' figure, and it was then that she heard the main door unlocking. She instantly turned, watching as the door swung open, revealing her host. Lezard wore a nervous smile on his face, his eyes alight with excitement. In his arms was a large bouquet of flowers, a mish mash of colors that held no rhyme or reason save to show her the different types available in this region. Lenneth instantly realized they were very far from Coriander, since none of the flowers were known for growing near her village.

It didn't take more than a second to notice the flowers, Lenneth's gaze being drawn back to Lezard's face. She started with realization, the girl quickly turning to look back at Coeus and his sister. Coeus wasn't wearing a smile, looking bored as he gazed down at his notebook. But there was no mistaking it, from those unforgettable eyes, to the unruly chocolate brown hair, and pale, flawless skin, to even the gold colored glasses, she was looking at the same man.

Her lips started to part, she nearly gasped, unable to believe the audacity of Lezard. There wasn't many men or women who would dare compare themselves to the Gods, and even fewer that would have their face painted as a God's mortal representation. It was as audacious as it was blasphemous, Lenneth wondering how vain Lezard had to be to do this.

Now that she looked at the tapestry, she realized that the Gods were really too defined for a holy relic. They all had individuals faces, hints of their personalties shining in their eyes. She wondered who else had modeled for this tapestry, thinking that surely the world had gone just a little more mad since last she had slept.

"Lenneth, I..."

"Do you think yourself comparable to a God?" She whirled around to look at him, ignoring the protesting throb of her head. She saw that Lezard was startled by the question, the man loosing his hold on the flowers so that they spilled to the floor. He blinked at her several times, then was dropping to his knees, moving to gather up the flowers. Lenneth made no move to help him, keeping herself situated before the tapestry.

"I am just a man." Lezard answered at last, the first of the flowers nestled in the crook of his bet arm. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Hardly just a man." Lenneth countered, his eyes flicking upwards to glance at her. "I don't know any others that have a collection like this."

"You've never traveled past Coriander's borders." Lezard retorted. "You know so little of the world outside your village, of course you'd have little chance to see how the other half would live."

"The other half?" Her cheeks burned in embarrassment, Lenneth knowing her village had been the poorest of the poor. "You mean the nobility, don't you?" No answer to that, the man concentrating on the flowers. "Just who are you, really?" She asked.

"Just someone with too much time on his hands apparently." Lezard answered, and she blinked back her surprise.

"You're either very well connected, or you're a thief." Lenneth said levelly. She cast a look around the room, remembering her earlier thoughts of comparing it to a pirate's treasure trove. "Are you...a pirate of some kind?"

"A pirate?" Lezard seemed amused, even as he shook his head no. "Guess again."

"Something with the black market then. Certainly a noble would never deign to kidnap an innocent person from their home!"

"You know very little about the true actions of nobles then." Lezard retorted, and rose to his feet, flowers cradled in his arms. "I'm just...a scholar. I enjoy the pursuit of knowledge almost as much as I enjoy beautiful and rare things." He moved to approach her, and she backed up a step, feeling herself bump into the wall and the tapestry that cover it. Lezard frowned at that, she couldn't tell if he was upset she had backed away from him, or that she had touched his precious tapestry.

Without another word, he deviated from her, carrying the flowers over to one of the larger urns in the room. Like with all things present, it was beautiful, white porcelain with electric blue patterns painted onto the sides. It had probably been meant to house the ashes of a great king, and here Lezard was using it as vase for the flowers he had brought her.

Flowers that wouldn't last more than a few hours if they weren't treated with some water to soak their stems in. "They...they need water." She spoke out loud, and Lezard glanced over his shoulder at her. "If you want them to keep from dying completely, they need to be in water..." Lenneth was suddenly tsking, chiding him. "It would have been better to leave them where they grew. You've consigned them to an early death..."

"I wanted you to see them." Lezard replied. "I wanted their beauty to bring a smile to your face."

She blinked rapidly to hide her surprise, wondering why he would care. The answer she thought of only made her grow depressed, Lenneth figuring he wanted his possession to feign happiness at all times. It wasn't becoming of a treasure to look so down it affected it's owner's emotions.

"I would have been happier to go to the garden they are from. To see them blooming among the other flowers." She answered, watching Lezard frown.

"It would have been too risky to take you there." He said with a sigh.

"Risky?" She lifted a brow at that, then hurried to reassure him. "I wouldn't try to escape you if that is what you are worried about." By the startled look on Lezards' face, Lenneth realized that had been the least of his worries.

"You wouldn't have been able to escape." He said at last.

"Then why?"

"There are dangers you're not aware of." Lezard answered, and Lenneth's frown deepen.

"Then tell me of them." She urged, and was reward with a head shake no. "Why not?"

"I can't let you outside Lenneth." Lezard said, fingers moving to arrange the flowers in some kind of color coordinated pattern. "But I can bring the outside to you."

"You can't." She insisted. "All you can bring me is flowers...the sun's rays are denied me and them, as is the cool breeze of spring, the colors the trees take in the fall, the taste of winter's snow...there's so much more to being outside than just flowers, and you would deny me them all!"

True regret was in Lezard's eyes when he turned to her then. "I don't seek to deny you things..."

"Just my freedom!" Lenneth retorted, careful not to mention the desire she had to at least talk to her parents one last time. "You've taken everything from me!"

"But I'm prepared to give back in so many ways! Things you've dreamt of, and even things you haven't!"

"What do you know of my dreams?" Lenneth couldn't keep from scoffing then.

"I know more than you think." He insisted, and she shook her head no.

"We're too different. We come from different backgrounds, different upbringings. Your thoughts and perceptions are as alien to me, as mine are to you!" Lenneth retorted.

"Then you can help me, help us to learn those differences. To help me make the changes needed to understand you better." Lezard said, and she wondered if he was sincere. Did he really want to understand her, or was that just words meant to placate her, to avoid her getting upset? "Please Lenneth, let us try..."

"I..." She hesitated in answering, and it was then her stomach decided to announce it's empty state. With a loud, rumble of sound it growled, Lenneth sure she turned crimson in embarrassment. Lezard looked just as surprised, and she wondered why. "I'm hungry." She stated lamely, and shocked realization filled those amethyst eyes of his.

"OH! Of course...it's been a while...you need to eat..." He seemed close to babbling, taking a step away from the flowers, towards her. Only to change his mind, his hands flexing into fists in an unconscious manner. "Ah forgive me Lenneth. I should have realized sooner." He was bowing to her then, eyes apologetic. "Wait here, I will get you something."

He was rushed, but not to the point he did not forget to lock the door behind him. Lenneth continued to stare after him, wondering what kind of man could be considerate enough to bring her flowers, and yet completely forget about a human's need for food.

To Be Continued...

Just a quick FYI. In an earlier chapter, I had stated the Gods have names they are known as among the mortals, and then they're real names. So that's why Lenneth thought he was Coeus in the tapestry picture. I plan to hopefully expand more on this, but my thought is the Gods of his world, have always existed. So even when the people on the mortal plane change the names of the Gods, it's still them. So Odin would be Zeus, Jupiter, etc.

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, thank you! He so is thinking in terms of her being more possession than person. Plus the way I see it, the loveable dope doesn't realize just what this attraction he has for her is. He doesn't recognize lovesickeness when he sees it. But I'll have him come to that point sooner or later. I'm also glad it lent itself to make him seem to think more like the other Gods would think!

LordLezardValeth, awesome name! And thank you! It does seem like the VP fandom got smaller, or that there's less Lezard love.T_T And thanks, I am blushing over the comments you made about my Lezard Lenneth fics. I will try my best to keep writing them! I have plenty of ideas, but sometimes it's hard to get them down on paper...X_X I can't wait for the scene when Mystina discovers just what he's done. *grins imagining it.* Ideally I would like Lezard to have more time with Lenneth, but I don't think he can keept Mystina out for much longer. ^^;; But as his concerned and caring sister, she won't want the other Gods to find out anymore than Lezard wants them to know!


	7. Chapter 7

The kitchen had been turned into a disaster zone, with pots whose metal had been blackened, their contents bubbling angrily and overflowing down the sides. Bright spots of color were everywhere, small explosions of food that had splattered without care. He had even come close to melting a spoon, and his own hands would have been covered with nicks and scrapes if not for a God's natural regenerative powers. It had still stung when the knife inadvertently sliced into his fingers, Lezard having chopped at a vegetable too fast to avoid his own skin.

He had been toiling away for over an hour, all in attempt to make a suitable meal for Lenneth. He had little to show for it, the bird he had thought to roast a charred mess now, it's juices dried out, it's meat tough. The steamed vegetables had fared similar, and the soup he had been cooking had boiled down to nonexistent levels. His own once impeccable clothing, now was covered with smears of food. There was even a bit of orange on the toe of his left boot though he couldn't remember how that had happened.

Lezard couldn't keep from sighing, staring glumly at the ruined bird. There was nothing salvageable from it, not even the stuffing had escaped the burning. He knew this would not do, he couldn't present any of this food to Lenneth. And yet he also knew he could not return empty handed, the girl hungry, perhaps even starving after going for more than a day without eating.

It was just one of many things he hadn't had time to take into consideration, Lezard forgetting that humans needed to eat, and eat often. They weren't like a divine being, a God able to go for days if not weeks between feedings. Lenneth would require meals several times a day, and Lezard needed to be prepared to feed them to her. He just hadn't realized cooking would be so hard, Lezard the type to rely on his sister to provide him with his required meals.

Lezard had assumed it would be an easy enough skill to pick up, the God having watched both Lenneth and his sister work in the kitchen. He hadn't understood there was more to it than adding food to a pot, and setting the flame on high. He knew nothing of recipes, save for those that were involved in his alchemy. Brewing potions seemed infinitely easier, Lezard grumbling to himself as he gathered up the ruined remains of food, and dumped them into a garbage can.

His servants wouldn't complain, those creatures he had created, the strong, silent types. They were incapable of speech save for a few grunts and moans, their brains small so that they were barely able to carry out simple requests. The homunculi had been an idle invention of his, creatures whose purpose was to clean and maintain his home, save for a certain few rooms, such as his laboratory, and the treasure rooms.

A homunculus was unwieldy, large hulking figure of brute strength, who knew no delicacy. Certainly they couldn't be trusted around his work or his treasure, not with their inability to keep from breaking things! Never before had Lezard wished he had taken more care in their creation, the God wishing the servants were capable of cooking a meal for Lenneth.

With a grumble, and a glance at the ruined pots, he strode over to the meat closet, and began rooting about for some cold cuts. He felt confidant this was something he wouldn't mess up too badly, though he feared a meat laden sandwich was hardly the ideal fare for Lenneth. But it would have to do, at least until he could think of some other way to keep her fed.

Of course Lezard had considered sneaking over to the mortal world, but to steal food seemed so petty and low class a theft. Nor could he afford the risk of taking another human, Lezard knowing he could hardly justify Lenneth's presence here, let alone another's. He also wondered what other unforeseen needs of Lenneth would manifest in the coming days, and if he'd be up to the task of caring for her.

Lezard was already coming to understand just how different Lenneth was from all the other things he had stolen from the mortal realm. He didn't complain, was almost happy to provide for her, even as he feared it wouldn't be enough. Her earlier words echoed back to him, Lenneth pointing out he couldn't give her everything, certainly not if it involved going outside this house. She was clearly a creature who enjoyed the outdoors, Lenneth holding an appreciation for nature that Lezard did not.

They were direct opposites in this, the God preferring to spend all his time inside his home, be it watching mortals, reading his books, or working on his experiments. He remembered how Lenneth had always tried to be outside the house during the daylight hours, even if most of that time was spent doing farm work. Lezard didn't know how or if Lenneth would adjust to being trapped indoors for the rest of eternity.

"That's provided if we have an eternity." He muttered, slicing off a piece of ham and then slapping it viciously onto the bread. He wasn't trying to delude himself, Lezard didn't think he could hide Lenneth forever. Not with his sister currently snooping about, Mystina continuously testing the strength of his barrier. The magic he had used to erect it wouldn't last forever, not with Mystina's own probing magic thrusting into it.

He had only gotten a few hours respite from Mystina's inquiries, the Goddess retiring to her home for the night. But as soon as morning came, she had been outside his home, trying to force her way in. Lezard didn't think he could maintain the barrier for much longer, and he worried what would happen then. He understood his sister was concerned for him, but he didn't appreciate her unwillingness to leave him alone with his new treasure.

He hoped he could buy himself enough time to find a way to convince Mystina of why Lenneth had to remain in the heavens. And why, more importantly, Lenneth's presence here had to remain a secret. Especially from the other Gods!

Lezard shuddered as he thought of Odin's wrath, pushing aside the sandwich to began constructing a feeble salad for Lenneth. The King of the Gods was slow to anger, but when that emotion was stirred, heaven help those he turned his eyes towards. Odin did not like to be disobeyed, and it wasn't often that the other Divine would go against him on any matter. Especially not when it involved humans!

Lezard sincerely doubted he would earn Odin's sympathy if he were to tell him about Lenneth's plight, the God sure to shrug it off as just another unfortunate fate. Mortals lives weren't necessarily happy, bad things did and continued to happen to them. There was plenty of girls who ended up in brothels, or sold as slaves. Lenneth would be seen as no different from any of them, though Lezard wanted to scream and rant against such a thought. Lenneth was special, in more ways than one, and Lezard could only wish there was a way to prove it to the other divine.

Gathering the sandwich and salad onto a tray, Lezard moved to leave the kitchen. He nearly staggered into the door as a particularly strong probe of his sister's hit his barrier. "Damn it Mystina!" He grumbled under his breath, wondering why she couldn't leave things alone. Just as quickly came the answer, Lezard knowing it was because she was concerned about him. She might even be right to be, Lezard wondering if he had taken leave of the last of his senses in doing this forbidden thing.

He didn't want to be talked out of it though, didn't want to have to return Lenneth to the realm of mortals. The very thought made his chest clench tight in unfamiliar pain, Lezard feeling an overwhelming sadness fill him at the thought of giving up Lenneth. He didn't know what that meant though, why such strong feelings could be inspired by the mere thought of a potential parting between them.

"Don't think about it." A hoarse whisper to himself, Lezard walking the rest of the way to the stair case that led up to the second floor. The rug at the foot of the stair case had been replaced, the old ones had born stains from where Lenneth's head had been gashed open enough to bleed. He shuddered as he remembered that moment, the discovery that she was bleeding. And all that had followed, his panic and fear, his desperate struggle to heal her.

Nothing could die in the heavens, at least not in the conventional ways. Time held no meaning here, the aging process slowing to a stop, even for the mortals who were forbidden to tread this land. Lenneth might not be able to grow old and die from that process, but there were other ways she could slip away from him. Her fall down the staircase only reminded him of that, Lezard rushing up the last few steps to arrive on the second floor.

He shifted the tray to one hand as he worked to unlock the door to the treasure room. He felt some of his unease fade away at the sight of Lenneth, the girl standing near the vase he had placed the flowers in. She looked almost guilty in the moment, and upon closer inspection he noted the flowers were wet. Lenneth noticed where he was looking, and flushed a pretty pink color.

"I couldn't let them just suffocate!" She sounded almost defiant then, leaving Lezard to wonder what she thought he would do. "I'm sorry about your vase but..."

"It's fine." Lezard said, pushing the door shut behind him. "A little water won't damage it beyond repair." Unlike the damage he had done in picking them, Lezard knowing the flowers would have bloomed for all eternity without his interference.

Lenneth hardly seemed mollified by his words, although her blush had lessened as she noticed the tray he was carrying. She couldn't quite hide her interest, and it was enough to make Lezard flustered, the man once again reminded of how he had neglected her stomach's needs.

"I'm sorry I took so long." Lezard said, feeling embarrassment as he uncovered the sandwich. "There was...unforeseen complications in the kitchen." He withstood Lenneth's slow stare, the girl looking him over and noting the smeared remains of food that clung to his clothing. Her gaze even touched on the blob on his boot, though she withheld comment about it.

"Thank you." She said at last, and didn't try to flee when Lezard approached her with the tray.

"You're welcome." He said, then added. "It's not much..." A nervous laugh followed, Lezard watching her move to perch on top of a closed chest, the tray balanced across her lap. "I'm afraid I'm not a very good cook..."

She was breaking off a piece of the sandwich when he said that, Lenneth glancing up at him in surprise. "You made this yourself?" He nodded, and saw she didn't understand.

"Do you not have servants to do the cooking for you?" Lenneth wanted to know, and Lezard shrugged.

"I have a few helping hands, but none are adept for kitchen work. Truthfully my sister is the one who usually cooks my meals for me, and she is...well...we have had a falling out." He was surprised at what he had admitted, watching as Lenneth took that bite of sandwich and chewed it slowly.

"It must be rough..." She finally said, breaking off another piece of the sandwich. He couldn't help but marvel at the delicate way she was eating it, Lenneth making sure not to spill crumbs on her nightgown or the floor. "Having no one to help you with that aspect of your daily life..."

He made a noncommittal noise in response, Lezard not wanting to admit that food and the preparation of it, had been low on his list of priorities. Lenneth continued to eat, half the sandwich starting to disappear, hinting at how hungry she had truly been. It only made him feel worse to have noticed that, Lezard holding back a morose sigh.

"You know..." Lenneth began in between bites of her sandwich. "I could...I could help you in that."

"That?"

"Kitchen duties I mean." She explained, and took on an over eager tone. "I could cook for you, in place of your sister. I mean, I know many recipes, and they may not be the elaborate fare a noble is used to, but they are filling, and I can assure you most tasty."

Lezard paused in his response, remembering how often he had watched her cook and clean in her own kitchen, Lenneth producing meals that had looked mouthwatering. And from the eager way her parents had tore into the meals, he had no doubt they had tasted as good as they had looked. He also realized if he allowed Lenneth into the kitchen, it would solve at least the problem of keeping her well fed, though Lezard wasn't sure he was prepared to let her loose from this room.

Lenneth noticed his hesitation, the girl's fingers turning fidgety on the remains of the sandwich. "You don't want to?" She asked, and again he paused, trying to figure out the best response to her.

"It's not that I don't want to..." He began, than shook his head. "I just don't think...well, it's not proper for a guest to do kitchen work."

A long silence followed those words, Lenneth casting another glance at his boots. He had no idea what was going through her mind, and wasn't prepared for her next suggestion. "At the very least, allow me to teach you how to cook." His surprise surely shown, Lenneth speaking hurriedly. "It would be a great relief, wouldn't it? To be able to prepare your own meals, without having to rely on your sister or someone else to cook for you?"

"I...I suppose..." Lezard muttered hesitantly.

"Then it's decided." She wasn't quite smiling, but there was a sparkle of warmth in her eyes. "I'll teach you all I know about the culinary arts." Lenneth hesitated, setting aside the tray, salad untouched. "Do you want to begin now?"

"Now?"

"Well, why not?" She asked, betraying her desire to get out of this room with her insistence. "There's no time like the presence, and I have nothing else to do..." A questioning glance at him. "Unless you're time is already slated elsewhere?"

"No...no..." he admitted. "I'm free for the day."

"Excellent." Lenneth stood, and for a second almost touched her nightgown before she remembered herself. "Of course...I can't cook in this..." She glanced back at him, a question in her eyes. "Do you have anything for me to wear?"

"Of course." He said, tone turning eager. "I have many things." He stepped towards one of the mannequins in which a a blazing blue creation was draped over it's frame. It's blue was the perfect shade to bring out the cerulean color of Lenneth's eyes, and on the shiny, shimmering fabric was a smattering of sapphire stones, the most prominent being sewn into the lace that bordered the low cut cleavage.

"No, not that one!" Lenneth gasped out, and his hand froze before he could touch the gown. Disappointment flared through him at once, Lezard realizing how much he was looking forward to seeing Lenneth in the dress.

"No?" He asked, already turning to a gown that was colored almost the exact shade of platinum that made up Lenneth's hair. Once she put it on, the hair and dress would present the illusion of not knowing where her hair ended, and the gown began.

But before he could complete the turn, Lenneth was shaking her head no. "Please no...not that, not any of the dresses in this room!"

Before he could stop it, a frown formed on his lips, Lezard turning back to her. "You don't like them?" He suddenly felt doubt, wondering if his keen eye for the rare and beautiful had failed him when it came to fashion.

"It's not that I don't like them..." Lenneth began, voice coming out soft and hesitant. "It's just..."

"Just what?"

"Well..." He saw her bite at her lip, she looked nervous as though she feared his reaction.

"Lenneth, you can tell me." He urged her, and she expelled a deep breath.

"The gowns here are beautiful..." Lenneth said at last. "Real works of wonder...but they are hardly suitable for one such as me."

"One such as you?" He frowned again, and shook his head. "I will not tolerate you belittling yourself in any manner. Lenneth, they are just clothes, and if any one is fit to wear them it is most assuredly you!"

"They are not just clothes!" She replied back, voice heated now. "They are rare and expensive, delicate works of art, and leave me on edge! I constantly worry I will somehow ruin them! And they will be ruined if we go down to the kitchens." Lenneth cast a pointed look at his food smeared shirt and jacket, and Lezard found himself growing flush faced in response.

"Cooking is hardly a neat affair. Accidents can happen." Lenneth continued. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I got something on one of these gowns, if I somehow permanently ruined the beauty of them!"

He could understand her concern, Lezard remembering how he had felt when she had lain broken at the foot of the stairs. Lenneth had been the first of his possessions to ever have gotten damaged in his care, and it was not a good feeling he associated with that knowledge. He sympathized immensely with her fears towards ruining the gowns, and thus he allowed himself a nod.

"Of course. I'll...I'll go see what I can find for you." He saw she instantly relaxed, Lenneth immensely relieved to hear that. "I shall be back momentarily." Lenneth nodded her understanding, and resumed picking at her sandwich. Lezard turned, and hurried out of the room, pausing only long enough to lock the door behind him.

Once again he was reminded that he hadn't thought this situation through, all the clothing he had for her lavish and delicate, rife with jewels and bobbles, and quick to fall apart with too much stress on the fabric. Lenneth was right, the clothing wasn't good for much activity, designed to be admired, either on the female figure or off. As much as he wanted to admire Lenneth in those gowns, he first had to make an outfit that was much plainer, one that wouldn't plague her with guilt as she moved about his kitchen.

The kitchen was another concern, Lezard not wanting Lenneth to see just how big a mess he had made. He groaned in annoyance, realizing he would have to set about to cleaning much sooner than anticipated. But first things first, Lezard thought grimly to himself, hands already glowing with ether. It was time to create some dresses for Lenneth.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Kousagi, thanks! *giggles* I like her thinking he's vain to have a tapestry made like that too! I mean if I was in her situation I'd never dream a God was my host! XD


	8. Chapter 8

With her hands in a bowl, Lenneth worked over the dough, fingers attempting to knead out any stray bubbles in the yeast. It was warm to the touch, having sat for two hours in the oven, until it reached it's current moldable form. Even though it was not yet cooked, she took pleasure in smelling it, the scent of the warm dough bringing up memories of her own kitchen, which often smelt of bread, spices, and whatever meal she had currently been making.

Lezard's kitchen had it's own unique smell, she couldn't quite identify it, but it wasn't a scent she normally associated with cooking. It was as though he had scrubbed the room clean with some sort of chemical, but underneath it she had still been able to smell the smoking remains of the bird he had tried to cook for her. That burnt smell was the only thing that remained of his kitchen disaster, Lezard having cleaned the room thoroughly before allowing Lenneth to enter.

She hadn't minded the wait, Lenneth taking the time to take a quick bath. She had been leery of undressing in this house, but quickly got over her fears when she realized she could lock the bathroom door from the inside of the chamber. Even better was the fact that Lezard had presented her with several simple gowns, the dresses lacking any lace or frills, and no expensive frippery such as diamonds on the front.

Lenneth was surprised to find she had actually enjoyed her bath, sinking in to one of the deeper parts of the pool. Her explorations of the bathroom had revealed many kinds of scented oils and soaps. and Lenneth had taken pleasure in smelling the different scents before settling on a vanilla flavor. That vanilla flavor was almost lost to the smells that now filled the kitchen, Lenneth having brought out all of Lezard's spices and dried herbs.

She had learned that Lezard's first attempts at making a meal for her, had been to roast some kind of bird. He hadn't even been sure what kind he chose, a fact that astounded Lenneth. Almost as much as it amazed Lezard to learn that the cooking time and temperature varied depending on the type of bird picked for a meal.

Lenneth had gone into his meat closet, the selection ranging from huge hunks of beef, to delicate looking birds, hams, sausages, and other types stuffed upon the many shelves. She had known Lezard was rich by the vast amount of treasure contained in one room, but seeing all this meat just sitting there was a whole other playing field. Not many people would have so much meat available before they were ready to cook it, at least, not the people of Coriander! Even on her own farm, they kept the animals alive until they were ready to be eaten.

Lenneth wondered how often Lezard entertained other guests to hold such a large assortment of fresh meat. She couldn't help but think of all the starving that would have benefited from having access to his meat closet, but she kept silent on the matter. Instead she put on a clean apron provided to her by Lezard, and selected a chicken, noting the bird had been beheaded and plucked of all it's feathers. It made her job one step easier, Lenneth not having to kill and gut the chicken.

She still had to clean the chicken, Lenneth stressing the importance of that to Lezard. He had nodded, serious and watching her, not betraying if he had known to do that before she told him. She had then dried it off with a towel, making sure to get all the moisture of it before placing it in a pan in front of Lezard. He had stared down at it, as though he was not sure what to do, and it was Lenneth who had stood next to him, gently instructing him on the next stages of the chicken's preparation.

He had learned how to season the chicken inside and out, an array of salt, pepper, butter and garlic being rubbed into it's body. Lezard had wrinkled his nose at the idea of massaging spices into a chicken, but Lenneth had explained cooking involved getting one's hand dirty. She had also explained they could vary the seasons used to flavor the bird, though for now she concentrated on keeping the recipe simple for him.

She had learned from Lezard that when he had cooked the previous bird, he had put in raw meat as part of it's stuffing. Lenneth quickly corrected him on that, explaining he should have cooked the stuffing in order to lessen the risk of food contamination. She had then helped him throw together a simple beef stuffing, that was flavored with sage and onion. Lezard had then insisted on stuffing the bird himself, as though he didn't want her to get her hands dirty.

She had smiled and allowed this, though a mess was an inevitable conclusion. If not with the chicken, then with the bread, Lenneth choosing to show him how to

make fresh loaves to replace the stale bread he had used for her sandwich. Not that she told him the bread had been stale, Lenneth too hungry to do much if any complaining. Instead she made the lesson a vital part of the learning experience, though in truth bread making might be too difficult for Lezard to master at his current level of training.

The chicken would take time to roast, and thus Lenneth had taken advantage of that fact, to try and teach Lezard some other simple dishes. Currently he had his own bread before him, the man working the dough over at a rapid pace that almost had Lenneth choking back giggles.

"Gently!" She urged him, abandoning her own dough to approach him. "You must massage it gently and with care." She was already putting her hands into the bowl with his, touching his fingers to slow down their furious movements. She felt him immediately stiffen at her touch, and Lenneth froze in response, wondering if she had done something wrong. "I...I'm sorry." She quickly said, pulling back her hands.

"There's nothing to forgive." Lezard grumbled, staring down into the bowl. Lenneth's shoulders sagged, the girl using her apron to wipe off her hands. She no longer knew what to say to him, and moved to return to her own bowl. It was Lezard's voice that stopped her, his words musing. "Gently eh? Like this?" She turned to look, and saw he was going at a much slower pace, though his fingers still lacked purpose to them.

"Yes." Lenneth said, and mimed kneading the air. "You are searching out bubbles in the dough, and working to make it more even a shape. It is not some random mashing that you do."

"Ah...I see..." Already Lezard's hands were adjusting their movements, fingers working out those pockets of air in the dough. Lenneth almost smiled then, nodding her head in approval.

"You are a fast learner..."

"I have a talented teacher." Lezard complimented in return. She managed not to blush, retreating to her own dough. It was close to being ready to be poured into the pan, and she wondered what would happen next. Would Lezard insist she return to the treasure room now that the lesson was over with? She didn't want that, Lenneth preferring to linger in the warm and fragrant kitchen.

It reminded her of being back in her home, although the two kitchens had little in common. Her home in Coriander had been cramped, the kitchen and connecting dining room one of the larger chambers in the house. But it had been filled with cabinets and closest, the shelves lined with a large array of bottled herbs and spices. There was also canned fruits and vegetables, provisions meant to last throughout the winter months. Links of sausages had hung over the stove top, and there was dried herbs spread into every available nook and cranny, making the kitchen constantly smell like sage and rosemary.

Before they had stated cooking in Lezard's kitchen, it had not smelled like a place where food was prepared. And all it's spices and meats, fruits and vegetables, while fresh, had been hidden away from sight, leaving the kitchen with an oddly sterile feel to it. The size of the kitchen was another difference she had noticed, the room big enough to fit in half of her house in Coriander!

There was no chance of accidentally bumping into anything or anyone while cooking in this room, and Lenneth wondered often why Lezard didn't have a herd of cooks and servants working in this kitchen. But she had seen none, not even on the walk through the house, Lenneth trying not to be obvious as she looked around. Lezard's house was a veritable mansion, larger than the mayor's own home in Coriander.

And suitably furnished, with elegant pieces decorating the walls and shelves of the many rooms they passed through. Though none came close to the splendor she had seen inside the treasure room, Lezard locking away his most extravagant pieces from all other eyes save Lenneth's. She tried not to dwell on what that could mean for her, Lenneth evening out the dough into a pan.

"All set?" She asked with forced cheer, glancing at Lezard and his dough. He had flour on his hands, and even on his face, though the white powder had managed to avoid his glasses.

Lezard looked over at her dough, then his, a sheepish look on his face. "I suppose this is the best it's going to be." He began to pour the dough into his pan, Lenneth approaching to take it from him.

"It'll take an hour to cook." She explained, carrying both pans over to the oven. The chicken was already inside, on the highest rack, and smelling delicious. Lenneth placed the dough on a lower rack, and then checked over the chicken, before closing the oven's door. "When it turns a golden brown color, we will know it's done."

"An hour? Just in time for the chicken to be ready as well?" Lezard asked, and Lenneth nodded. He seemed to groan in frustration then, and this time she did giggle. "I had no idea it takes so long to make everything! No wonder I ruined the food before..."

"It's all right." Lenneth reassured him through her giggles. "It's your first time cooking, you're allowed to make mistakes." She was wiping her hands off on her apron again, and Lezard quickly mimicked her actions with his.

"I suppose now we wait?" Lezard asked, and Lenneth hesitated.

"Well, yes. Though we could work on cleaning up the kitchen now." She paused for another one of his groans, then offered a more enticing idea. "Or we could work on making desert."

"Desert?"

"Yes...I haven't had a good pie in so long." Her tone was wistful then, Lenneth remembering how desert had been one of the first things she had had to cut out of the family's daily dinners in order to stretch out the money they had had left. She couldn't even remember the last time she had baked a tasty apple pie, and her mouth practically watered in anticipation of a single bite.

Lenneth didn't know what shown in her eyes, but Lezard was nodding his head at her. "Yes, show me how to make a pie then. Your favorite kind."

"You don't have a preference?" Lenneth asked, some surprise in her voice now.

"I want what will make you happy." Lezard answered, and she nearly turned red at that.

"Apples then. We'll need a great deal, about a pound and a half of apples."

"Done." Lezard said, and hurried over to another one of his closets. She wasn't surprised to see he had large baskets full of fresh fruit, Lezard easily carrying the apples to her. Lenneth gestured at the small table in the corner, the girl picking up two pairing knives and joining him there.

"First we have to peel the apples." She told him, handing over one of the knives. Lenneth had been a bit surprised he allowed her to handle sharp implements, leaving her to wonder why he could trust her so. Did he really think she wouldn't try to escape, or did he somehow know she couldn't bare to hurt another person, even one who had taken away her freedom.

_~He probably knows I have nowhere else to go.~ _She thought glumly, Lenneth beginning to peel a large red apple. _~Even if you did escape, where would you go? Back to your parents side? The same parents who might have been willing to sell you to a brothel owner, to get out of their own debts and misfortune?~_ Lenneth held in her angry sigh, working out her frustration on the apple in her hand. She understood there was a chance that Lezard had been lying about that, but it was quite a risk to take if she were to go to her parents. If Lezard had told the truth, no doubt they would try to haul her off to the nearest brothel or slaver. It was a risk she couldn't take, even as she worried over the state of parent's lives without her by their side.

Lezard had noticed the way she was hacking at the apple, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. But he said nothing, working on an apple of his own, and somehow avoiding cutting himself in the process.

"Once the apples are peeled..." Lenneth said out loud, more to stop her thoughts than to speak to Lezard. "We will cut them into several halves. We'll toss out the cores and seeds, and bake the remains into the dough of the pie."

"Is it a similar recipe to making bread?"

"No, it's a different kind of pastry." Lenneth said, and set down her knife. "Will you be fine with peeling these? I should really start preparing the dough..."

"I can manage this much." She did not return Lezard's smile, her mood having soured with her thoughts.

Rising from her seat, Lenneth quickly gathered from the cupboards and shelves, the ingredients necessary for the pie dough. She set them down on the counter by a window whose curtains were drawn closed. It was like this in all of the house, all the windows covered so that she couldn't see outside. Lenneth didn't understand why he had done this, didn't understand what harm there could be in allowing her to see outside this prison of hers.

_~Maybe it's a kindness of his.~_ She thought as began mixing the pie ingredients into a bowl. Maybe Lezard thought it better if she didn't so much as glimpse the outside world, not if it would forever be denied to her. Maybe it was his way of lessening the pain such a sight would hold for her, and if Lenneth really thought about it, she could understand. But she didn't like it, not one bit, Lenneth feeling a hot rush of irrational anger fill her.

_~It should be up to ME to decide if I want to be upset by seeing that which is denied to me!~_ Lenneth thought, lifting her dough covered hands to the window. She was reaching to pull back the curtain, when a hand seized around her wrist, jerking her away from it. She gasped, turning to see Lezard, and gaped, not knowing how he had reached her side so fast. The last she had seen him, he had been sitting down, apple and knife in hand.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, trying to jerk her hand free of his vise like grip. "Let go of me."

"Leave the windows alone Lenneth." Lezard ordered her, not letting go of her wrist. "I don't ask much of you, but in this one instant I WILL be obeyed."

She continued to fight him, trying to get free, and when that didn't work, she let the hint of tears form in her eyes from the pain he was causing her. "You're hurting me..." She whimpered, and he instantly let her go, a chagrined look on his face. She glanced at her wrist, and saw the marks from where his fingers had pressed down. She would no doubt bruise in those places, and she felt fear at the thought of Lezard's strength. A strength that had been deceptive, Lezard not looking like the kind of man physically capable of hurting anyone.

And yet there was a gentleness to him, his worry apparent over what he had done. But even with the worry, he was commanding, voice authoritative. "Promise me Lenneth! You will never try to open another window again."

"Why?" She whispered, her tears turning angry now that her hand wasn't being squeezed in so brutal a fashion. "Why would you care? Why would you deny me the chance to see outside...? What harm could there be...?"

"I won't chance you being seen." Came his answer, and Lenneth frowned at that.

"Why should it matter if someone sees me?" She turned bitter then, backing away from him, holding her bruised wrist to her chest. Lezard just stared at her, the purple of his eyes blooming with frustration at her question. "Why would you care? Is this having to do with my being part of your collection?" She felt her chest growing tight with her upset, Lenneth thinking she would scream if he nodded. But he didn't, Lezard just standing there, not saying a word.

"If it's not that..." Lenneth began slowly, watching his face carefully. "Then it must be you don't want anyone else to know I am here."

"What makes you say that?" Lezard asked, maintaining a blank expression.

"You sent away your servants, don't deny it! All the windows, not just the ones in the kitchen have been covered...who are you hiding me from? My parents? The law?" It was almost imperceptible but Lenneth saw the tiny way he flinched at the last word she had spoken. Hope flared in her, Lenneth thinking perhaps Lezard hadn't been so truthful after all about the circumstances that brought her here.

"Are people looking for me?" She demanded. "Are.."

"Enough Lenneth!" Lezard snapped at her. "No one knows you're here, and it will continue to remain that way!"

Now it was her turn to be frustrated, Lenneth wanted to lunge for the curtains, and yank them aside. Her intent must have shown on her face, Lezard moving to block the path to the window. "You can't keep me here indefinitely!" She cried out. "Someone will find out what you have done!"

"No, one's going to find out! I don't mean to be cruel, but you need to face facts." Lezard told her, and she held back a sob. "This is your home now, and nothing will change that..."

"This is NOT my home!" Lenneth cried out, shaking her head so wildly her braid bounced against her back. "It never will be. It can be nothing but my prison, and you my jailor!"

"Lenneth..."

"I don't even know what to call you!" She spat out angrily, side stepping him when he moved towards her. "Lord? Master? Or how about thief? Because that is what you are! Just a common criminal! If anyone should be imprisoned, it should be you!" Lenneth had the satisfaction of seeing him look hurt at her words, and then she was turning, attempting to run out of the room. Lezard gave chase, his longer gait catching him up to her in just three seconds flat, his hand snagging hold of her arm.

"Lenneth I..."

"I want to go back to the room." Lenneth announced, not trying to struggle with him. Her head's throbbing had resumed, and she suddenly had the overwhelming need to break down and cry. She refused to do that in front of him though, Lenneth bravely holding it together for as long as it would take to get out of Lezard's sight.

"What about the food?" He asked, sounding confused. They had been in the kitchen for well over four hours, and the sandwich he had given her earlier hadn't been enough to fill her completely. But her appetite which had been building while they cooked, was now gone, Lenneth feeling as though she wouldn't be able to stomach even one bite.

"I'm no longer hungry." She announced with a haughty lift to her head. Lenneth heard the frustrated hiss he let out, but ultimately Lezard conceded to her wishes, gesturing for her to walk in front of him. She took no pride in the victory, not so long as Lenneth knew she was being returned to that room, her stay holding the potential to be indefinite.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, thank you so much for reading and reviewing. It's always appreciated! I'm so glad it is intriguing you! As you'll see in nine, Lenneth would definitely not be better off in Coriander...no matter what she believes. I'm glad you liked his failed cooking attempts. Hope the cooking lessons provide a giggle, like it did before Lenneth got all upset at him and her situation! XD


	9. Chapter 9

He was begginning to think it had been a mistake to take Lenneth from her home, Lezard sighing as he stood outside the door to his treasure room. He could hear her inside, her sobs not quite muffled by the pillow she clung to, the girl letting her grief consume her. Lenneth hadn't wanted him to know she was that upset, but there had been little chance of her hiding it from him, not with his acute hearing.

Each broken sound made his chest tighten, his heart feeling crushed as he listened to her try to keep from vocalizing her pain. A pain he was the cause of, Lezard recalling how the incident in the kitchen was just the latest of perceived offenses to the girl. He couldn't even explain to her that it wasn't anything she had done that had set him on edge, Lezard panicking when he saw her reaching to open the window's curtain.

Visions had popped into his mind, Lezard knowing his overly concerned sister was lurking outside the premises. He wouldn't put it past his luck to have her face appear in that exact window, the Goddess locking eyes with Lenneth, the realization dawning on her face at just how enormous his crime truly was. He didn't even know what Mystina would do in response to Lenneth's presence in his home! Would she turn him to the other Gods? Or would she try to fix the situation somehow?

A situation he feared was unfixable, the damage done. Lenneth couldn't go back to Coriander, not so long as her parents were so intent on selling her. Lezard didn't know how to sway them from that intent, the humans greedy and lusting for an easy way to gain a better life for themselves. Those parents of hers were against earning that better life, preferring to lay back and be lazy, while working their daughter to the point of collapse.

A louder sob, Lenneth not quite able to muffle that sound, made him flinch. He had been by to visit her just minutes earlier, trying to entice her with the meal they had prepared together. It was the third such attempt, and each time Lenneth had insisted she had no appetite. He didn't quite understand what refusing to eat would accomplish, though it left him frustrated all the same.

He had a feeling it was some gap between divine and mortal that kept him from truly understanding the situation, Lenneth's thoughts and actions as alien to him, as his was to her. Lezard wondered if what he as doing would ultimately be the wrong path for her, the man full of doubts on the heel of Lenneth's upset. Was there something else he could have done? Or should he have sat back and allowed her to be enslaved? His heart throbbed in protest at that last questioning thought, Lezard abruptly moving away from the door.

As he walked down the stairs, he mulled over the options that were available to him, to them both. Lenneth could continue to remain here in the heavens, a prisoner in his home. Or she could be returned to the mortals' realm, put back into the untrustworthy care of her parents. Immediately protests flared in his mind, Lezard not wanting to do that, even if there was no danger of the man and woman trying to sell Lenneth to the highest bidder.

It was then that he realized he wanted to KEEP Lenneth. Not just to save her, but purely for the selfish reason that he liked her. Liked her enough to not want to share her with anyone else, Lezard realizing that even if there was no danger of her ending up in a brothel or as a slave, he still would have been dissatisfied with the way her life was turning out.

He had always felt she had deserved better than to toil away on that farm of hers, to have no future promised to her save for the chance that she might fall in love one day. His chest seemed to hurt in response to the thought of Lenneth falling in love, Lezard knowing he wouldn't have been able to bear it if she had allowed some man to court her, or worse yet to marry her.

He still didn't understand these emotions and sensations coursing through him, Lezard frowning as he continued down to his work shop. But he knew it was dangerous to be developing feelings of any kind for a mortal, even as he realized he had already risked so much in just bringing her to this realm. Just that act of stealing Lenneth from her own home proved he wasn't being rational, Lezard lacking a long term plan when he had acted to save her.

With no plans, and no allies, Lezard wasn't sure what the eventual outcome of this situation would be. He hadn't been thinking clearly when he took Lenneth, but he had hoped to have more time with her than what he had been given. And it was all because of his sister's suspicion, Mystina curious and rightfully so about his latest acquisition. She had spent most of the day outside his home, working tirelessly against the barrier he had erected.

She had retired when night fell, but Lezard was positive she would be back come the morning. He didn't know for how much longer he could maintain the barrier, it already bore cracks in it from the constant abuse it had suffered at Mystina's hands. His time was running out, and Lezard didn't dare make the one move that could save him from discovery.

He suddenly snorted, know it wasn't a matter of cowardice, but the fact that he refused to send Lenneth back. He still wasn't sure what would happen if-once the other Gods learned of her presence here in the heavens. What sort of punishment would await him? He simply did not know, but he wasn't scared for himself but for Lenneth. Who would champion for her future if he was gone? Would they send her back to Midgard, and force her to follow the path her parents had laid out for her?

He didn't really care what happened to him, but Lezard wanted the reassurance that should he die, Lenneth would be taken care of. He wondered if he could get Mystina's promise to look after Lenneth in his stead, even if it was forbidden for the Gods to directly interfere with a mortal's life. He had never understood that law, and had always skirted around it at best. But never until he had taken Lenneth, had he so foolishly defied Odin on this matter.

Perhaps some of the thefts he had done would have been overlooked, but with the taking of a person, a sentient being, he had probably damned himself. His crime was only lessened by the fact he hadn't killed anyone, although he had certainly been tempted to. Especially when he had first learned what fate Lenneth's parents had in store for their daughter. He could still remember how good it had felt to destroy that man and woman in their dreams, leaving them scarred from the nightmarish experience. The sad thing was they hadn't learned anything from their encounter with him in their dreams, the man and woman still intent on profiting off of Lenneth.

Most people had a conscience, some internal monologue that kept them from being totally evil. He had sensed none of that in those two, no guilt or doubt over what they were about to do to their daughter. Some humans were like that, some twist of their nature that made them manipulative and uncaring of others. Lezard was surprised the family had held together for as long as it had, that the man and woman hadn't turned on each other, just as easily as they had turned on their daughter.

His eyes sought out the mirror as he entered the work shop, the glass seeming to react to his thoughts. Immediately it shimmered, revealing a room that was all too familiar to him, Lezard having spent countless months watching Lenneth sit in it's corner by the fireplace, knitting in hand. The room lacked Lenneth's presence, and seemed to suffer without her, the room dark and foreboding.

There was only one log burning in the fireplace, as though no one had had the time to split more wood for the night. The flames eagerly ate at the wood's hide, and soon it would dwindle down to nothing, leaving the fire to die out. The room wouldn't go completely dark, there was several candles lit on the mantle, their wax stubs melted down to almost nothing.

It took only a few seconds to notice these details, Lezard stepping closer to the glass. Figures were moving about the room, Lezard recognizing Lenneth's parents arguing with several strangers. Save for Lenneth's mother, it was all men in the room, four of which were well muscled brutes, in ill fitting clothes. They were tall, and their bodies were wide, arms rippling with muscles that the tight sleeves of their clothing did nothing to hide.

There was an air of menace to these men, a malicious light in their eyes. They were smiling, but it was cruel, and one of them was going so far as to clench and unclench his hands into fists. Two others prowled about the room, while the fourth had his arms crossed over his massive chest, his body blocking the only exit in the room. Aside from Lenneth's father, there was another man, and he remained seated, a pleasant smile on his face that was an odd contrast to the tension in the room.

This pleasant faced man was well dressed, his clothing looking finely made and of expensive fabrics. He looked out of place on the tattered remains of the couch, it's blanket unable to hide the poor state of it's well worn fabric. Before him, on a three legged table, sat an ignored cup of tea, it;s steam rising off the liquid's surface to hint at how freshly brewed it was.

Across his knees was a walking stick, it's top end bearing a ruby red gem. The well dressed man was looking at Lenneth's father, acting as though he wasn't aware of how badly shaken both her parents were. Lenneth's mother had her hands in her apron, constantly wringing out the dirty white fabric in an unconscious show of nerves.

"Can I get you anything else?" The woman was babbling, and Lezard had the sneaking suspicion it was not a desire to be a good host that had her make that offer. Not when her eyes kept flitting to the guarded door, the woman clearing desiring to make a break from the room. "We have some left overs from dinner tonight...and there's pie..."

"I am quite well fed Madame." Answered the seated gentleman. "And there is only one thing I require." He was still smiling but suddenly his eyes lost all their friendly warmth. "Where is your daughter?"

"Our...our daughter?" Foolishly stammered Lenneth's mother.

"Don't you think if we knew, we'd have brought her to you already?" blurted out Lenneth's father.

"Come now. You expect me to believe that girl managed an escape all on her own? That you would not know where or to whom she would run to?"

"We don't." Insisted Lenneth's father. "We don't even know how she knew what was going to happen! We exerted the utmost care in keeping it from her, and yet she still fled."

"Perhaps you should look to your wife then." Suggested the well dressed man. "Could not her motherly concern have moved her heart to warn her daughter of the fate that was in store for her?" Lezard almost laughed then, knowing the woman had never shown an ounce of true concern, motherly or otherwise towards Lenneth.

Indeed she was paling as all eyes turned to her, the woman shaking her head so that her graying curls bounced. "I wouldn't have!" She insisted. "I know what is at stake! There is no way I would have put my husband and myself in jeopardy to spare Lenneth from your hands!" They continued to stare at her, the woman's upset growing. "I speak the truth!"

"Madame, you haven't had an honest moment in your life, no doubt." The seated man said, to the laughter of the brutes.

"My wife is many things..." defended the woman's husband. "But she would not seek to betray you on this!"

"But she...or perhaps YOU, have betrayed me." The man retorted. "One of you had to be the one that snitched to your daughter about my plans for her. A moment of guilt is all it takes to whisper well meaning advice."

"She didn't even take any of her clothes." Lenneth's mother pointed out. "No money, no possessions. She won't be able to get far like that. Instead of wasting time harassing us, you should be searching the nearest villages for her!"

"Trust me when I say I am." answered the man. "I have associates keeping an eye out for Lenneth. A girl as beautiful as she, is bound to make others take notice, especially if she's traveling alone. But the fact of the matter is, I shouldn't have to be going through this effort to find her." His own eyes narrowed, his fingers tightening on the walking stick. "I want compensation for my troubles."

"Co...compensation?" Both Lenneth's parents stared at the man, mouths agape.

"What do you mean by that?" demanded her father. "What do you intend to do?"

"Well, for starters I want my gold back." The shocked looks turned to horror, both parents shaking their heads no.

"You can't." Whispered the woman, and the man echoed her refusal.

"There's nothing to give back...we've already spent most of it."

"Then you'd best work on getting my gold back." It was not a suggestion but an order, the man staring steely eyed at Lenneth's parents.

"It's impossible!" exclaimed the woman. "We've put a down payment on a house, we're to start over far from Coriander. It's to be our second chance you see..."

"Madame, you'll learn that in this life there are no such things as second chances." The well dressed gentleman sneered at her. "And it leaves us in quite a quandary, this unresolved matter of the girl and the gold. I'll be taking both of course..."

"But how? We don't have Lenneth, and we don't have the gold..." protested the woman feebly.

"Oh I'll get the girl." The man assured her, and Lezard found his hands clenching into fists in response to that promise. "And I'll get my compensation too." His face had lost all trace of his earlier smile, the man suddenly cold and angry. "Do it."

"Do what?" The woman wanted to know, and then screamed when one of the brutes punched her husband in the stomach. Lenneth's father cried out in pain, red flecked salvia being coughed up in the process. Lenneth's mother let go of her apron, moving as though she would try to help her husband, when she was grabbed from behind. One arm was secured over her chest, the other grabbing her wrists to twist her arms behind her back. She screamed and struggled like a mad woman, trying to break free as two of the three remaining muscled men took hold of her husband's arms.

"Leave him alone!" She screamed, face losing all it's color as she watched the third man begin to pummel her husband over and over again in the chest and stomach areas. It was concentrated blows, guaranteed to bruise him and break a few ribs. The smile was back on the gentleman's face, the man rising from his seat to watch the beating take place.

The beating seemed to last forever, Lenneth's father no longer able to stand, sagging in place as he was held up by his arms. He barely seemed conscious, and had long since stopped his pained moans. The woman was whimpering, a hand having been placed over her face to muffle her screams.

"Now all of this could have been avoided if you hadn't spent my gold before Lenneth was secured in my keep." The well dressed man said. He glanced down at the table, seeing the tea set with it's chipped porcelain and mismatched cups. And then he was lashing out, foot knocking over the table, the tea set crashing into the floor. The porcelain smashed into a dozen pieces, and the woman seemed to scream even louder.

But he wasn't done with his torment, the man prowling about the room. Lezard could see he was examining the objects, trying to see what worth could be found in their surroundings. There wasn't much, Lenneth's family having sold off much of their valuables long ago.

"Search the house." The gentleman said at last, the men dropping Lenneth's father onto the floor. "Take anything of value, anything at all!" The woman screamed again, and the man covering her mouth cried out in pain.

"OW! Damn bitch bit me!" He was already slapping her across the face, the blow knocking her down in an unconscious heap at his feet. The other men laughed, teasing him about being more careful next time. The one who had been bit glowered at them all, before leaving the room to do as his master commanded him. The others soon followed, leaving the well dressed man to hover over Lenneth's father.

"Now Byram..." He used his ruby tipped walking stick to prod one of the man's broken ribs, eliciting a moan in response. "I want you to reflect on your sins against me. I want you to realize that things can and will be worse if Lenneth and the gold are not brought to me and soon. Return that new begginning you hoped to have, sell the farm if you can, but you will be paying me back. And if you can't, you'll find there are worse things I can have done to you, than to break your ribs."

There was no sinister laughter to follow those threatening words, the man moving away from Lenneth's father. Lezard raised a hand, waving it over the mirror's glass to cancel out the scene playing out on it's surface. He had seen enough, and it was bleak reminder of just why he had had to take Lenneth away from the realm of mortals. That well dressed man was no doubt the one her parents had sold Lenneth to, his clothing and hired hands bought with the money he made off of other broken girls. Lezard knew he couldn't allow that unscrupulous man to get his hands on Lenneth, nor could he risk returning her to Midgard. Not with that ruthless man now actively searching for Lenneth!

Lezard had no doubts the brothel owner would be tireless in his efforts to retrieve Lenneth, especially now that her parents had spent most if not all the gold he had given them. He held a grudge now, a desire to pay back her parents for an offense they had had nothing to do with. An offense Lezard had inadvertently caused when he stole Lenneth out from under them all. But he didn't regret his actions, Lezard now knowing what he had done was the right thing, the only thing he could have done short of killing everyone who sought to do Lenneth wrong.

And yet he was shaken, unsettled down to his soul, Lezard angry over how foul the mortals involved in this debacle had proven to be. It was just one more reminder of the ugly nature of the humans, and how rare it was for a soul to remain untainted when surrounded by such monsters. In this moment, he could even understand why it was against divine law to bring a human into the heavens, the Gods not wanting to be contaminated with the uglier aspects of the mortal's nature.

"But Lenneth is different." Lezard insisted to himself, and nodded at his reflection. The mirror shimmered again, as though anticipating his next command. "Show me the girl."

He barely got the words out, and already the mirror was complying, the treasure room revealed, his collection paling in comparison to the girl laying asleep in the corner bed. Lenneth still clutched a pillow against her chest, her tears dried on her cheeks. She had cried herself to sleep, and the knowledge made Lezard sad. Especially knowing their time together was limited, both their futures uncertain, his sister Mystina holding the key to disrupting it all into chaos.

"I really am a selfish man." Lezard said to her reflection, already casting the spell that would soften the glass for his entrance into the dreamscape. He found he couldn't stay away from her long, and reasoned to himself if he couldn't make her happy in reality, than at least he would steal a few moments of peace for them while she slept. With that thought in mind, he stepped through the mirror, content to lose himself to Lenneth's dreams.

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Kaelin Voidshadow, aw thanks! I think they both need to realize his feelings for her. But he's one step closer to realizing he loves her! :D


	10. Chapter 10

It was dark inside Lenneth's dream, almost unnaturally so, Lezard having to conjure a light to illuminate his path as he searched for her. A chill breeze blew, fierce enough to cause his cape to billow out from behind him, it's rustling movements making enough noise to alert another to his presence. Not that there was anyone to see, Lezard having walked for what felt like miles without coming across Lenneth.

His boots made a lonely echo of sound, the ground some sort of cobble stone pathway he wandered. The farther into her dream he traveled, the more the winds picked up, until he was being battered from all sides. And yet he persisted in searching for her, Lezard not understanding what had happened to her dream. It seemed the complete opposite of what he was used to experiencing, cold and scary when it should have been warm and full of wonder.

He didn't yet realize the dream was reflecting Lenneth's turbulent emotions, the upset she had been feeling when she drifted off to sleep. He didn't understand that feelings played a key part in how dreams took shape, Lezard having expected Lenneth to be at peace in her dreams. But peace eluded her even here, Lezard hearing something crunch under foot.

He almost leapt back, casting his light down towards his feet. He didn't know what to make of the withered flowers that lay trampled before him, Lezard spying their color had leeched out, turning their petals and stems brown. But he knew enough to worry, Lezard breaking into a run, the sounds alternating between flowers squishing under foot and foot steps on even cobble stone.

"Lenneth!" He called out her name, bursting onto a field of dead flowers. And in the center of it, kneeling, was Lenneth, the girl clad in the color of mourning. She even wore a black veil over her hair, and her expression was one of weary resignation. Her long hair was unbound, spread out like a silver blue cape behind her. It barely moved in the breeze, though Lezard's clothing continuing to billow about him.

"Lenneth..." He had to shout to be heard over the wind, and still she did not turn to him. Lezard held back his curses, realizing he would have to traverse the field of dead flowers to reach her. He stepped onto the first of the flowers, hearing them snap apart from the ground at his approach. It made him uneasy, the flowers weren't supposed to be trod on, and yet there was no other way to reach Lenneth.

But the flowers weren't moving, and neither was Lenneth, the girl just sitting there, numb to the winds around her. The field of dead flowers seemed to stretch on to infinity, but at last Lezard reached her. He nearly collapsed in relief next to her, Lezard dropping down to his knees to hug her awkwardly. Lenneth was solid in his arms, and he felt her breath warm his chilled cheek.

"Lenneth." Lezard sighed out her name, hugging her tighter as he tried to figure out what was going on. This dreamscape hadn't turned into a true nightmare, not yet, but it had all the makings of one. He didn't want to know kind of horrors awaited Lenneth, but he was prepared to fight them for her, when he felt her moving. He pulled back enough to look at her, and it was then that her shaking hands landed on either side of his face.

A question was in his eyes, Lezard staring back at Lenneth. Her expression was serious, Lenneth gazing at him for what felt like hours. And then she sighed, her pouty lips parting to speak. "You have the same eyes as him."

Unnerved, Lezard made sure to call more shadows to his face, all to better hide his appearance from her. But he couldn't hide his eyes, the amethyst color blazing boldly. "Him...?" He already knew who she meant, and yet he played dumb, hoping this was just a ramblings of a disturbed dreamer and not any realization she would remember once she awoke.

"Yes." She was still lightly gripping his face, seeming mesmerized by his eyes. Her own eyes filled with sadness, the blue dimming from that emotion. "The man who stole me from my home."

Lezard almost jerked back at that, his hands reaching up to cover the backs of hers. He was surprised to find his hands were shaking, Lezard trying to breath out his nervousness. "Lenneth, I..."

"Are you him?" She interrupted him. "Do I know you from somewhere? Did we meet once, and only the vaguest of memories still existed in my mind of you? Is that why I could never see your face?"

He shifted uncomfortable, but was unable to break her grip on his face, Lezard staring at her, mouth dry. Lenneth was being far too aware of him and the past dreams they had shared, and he worried she'd stumble on the truth behind these encounters.

"Why did you take me?"

"I..." His hesitation in answering prodded another question from her, Lenneth staring searchingly into his face.

"What are you going to do with me now that you have me?" He felt the tremble begin in her fingers, but she kept on holding his head cradled in her hands. "Are you ever going to let me go?"

"I can't." He said at last, and saw the tortured look she gave him. "There's so many outside factors influencing this...theft. I couldn't let you go, even if I wanted to."

"Even if you wanted to..." She echoed with a frown. "That means you WANT to keep me locked up?" The winds had picked up, as though in direct response to her upset.

"Lenneth, there are things you need to know, things you need to understand. Your parents..."

"My parents tried to sell me." Her voice seemed to blend in with the wind's howl. "But are you really my savior or are you the one who sought to buy me? Are you just spinning the truth to try and make it more acceptable to me?"

Lezard hoped his guilt didn't reflect in his eyes for he hadn't been entirely truthful about everything. "Lenneth, if there is one thing you can believe in, it's that I've told you the truth where your parents are concerned. They would do you harm, and not just them." He saw she didn't understand, Lezard blowing out a deep breath. "The man they sold you to. He is looking for you."

"Looking for me?" She repeated with some surprise.

"Yes. He's desperate to find you. He's paid good money for you, and will not allow you to skip out on what he had planned for you." He kept his hands covering hers, trying to leech some of her warmth for himself. He chose not to inform her of the fate that would most likely befall her parents, Lezard knowing Lenneth was a soft heart that might be so foolish as to martyr herself to save those wretched humans.

"The brothels..." She shivered anew, her expression one of pure anguish.

"You can understand why you can't go back, can't you?" Lezard asked her. "Why you must do everything you can to avoid that fate. Even..."

"Even remain your prisoner?" He didn't like that word, but knew of no other that could describe the situation that existed between them. So he nodded, and she suddenly flung away from him, wresting her hands free of his.

"I can't!" Lenneth exclaimed, her voice tormented. "I can't remain in that house, in that room! I'll go mad if I don't die first!"

"You won't die!" He quickly assured her, and she frowned at him. "I'll make sure of it..."

"You'll make sure of it?" She was practically scoffing them, but he nodded all the same. "How can I believe that? How can I know you'll protect me...that you won't..."

"Won't what?" He prodded when she fell silent with a moan. "Lenneth, what is it? What do you fear?" The winds were battering against him, as though trying to knock him down and away from her. He remained kneeling in front of her, watching as she stayed untouched by the wind.

"I fear you!" She bit out at last, and Lezard drew in a sharp breath.

"Me?"

"Yes!" She nodded out her confirmation. "You could do anything to me...anything at all! You've already stopped treating me like a person! You think me more object than living being!"

"That's not true!" Lezard protested, seeing her agitation mount.

"Isn't it?" Lenneth demanded. "You've propped me up in that room, with the rest of your collection. All those beautiful and rare things. How long before you realize I don't fit in with that theme?"

"But you do!" Lezard insisted, even as she shook her head. "Lenneth, you are so much better than the things I have collected in the past..."

"I am not a thing to be collected!" She all but shrieked. "And one day you will know that too, and toss me aside." She hugged her arms around her, blinking back tears. The first drops of a gentle rain began to fall, as though the weather in the dreamscape held direct connection to Lenneth's emotions.

"I would never toss you aside..." Lezard said, voice hoarse from all the shouting he was being forced to do. Lenneth didn't look like she believed him either, shaking her head no.

"Beauty doesn't last." She said at last. "Not for us humans. One day I will turn old and gray, and then what? You can't answer, can you?"

He couldn't, but not for the reason she assumed, Lezard knowing he couldn't reveal that in the heavens she would never age, never grow a minute older from what she was now.

"I also know that people don't see a secret like yours..." Lenneth began, and the tears began to slip down her cheeks, rain pelting them faster in response. "See it, and expect to live." That left Lezard blinking back his surprise, his mouth falling open in shock. He tried to speak, and it came out a weird sound, leaving Lenneth to let out a bitter laugh. "You'll kill me to keep others from finding out about your collection."

"Is that what you think?" Lezard demanded, and all she did was stare at him miserably. "Oh Lenneth...Lenneth. No wonder you've been so upset, so frightened.' He was already moving to pull her into his arms, ignoring her attempts to struggle. Lightning arced across the sky, the storm was getting worse, and yet Lezard was calm. He held Lenneth in his arms, pulling off the veil, and working his fingers through her hair.

It was a soothing action for them both, Lezard working to calm her down. "Lenneth, no. I give you my word, my unbreakable promise. I will never toss you aside like trash, and I would most assuredly not try to kill you. I'd sooner die than allow anyone to harm you..." She was pressed against him now, not struggling as much as she had been, just listening to his voice.

"I believe I mentioned the sister that I have." Lezard continued. "I think you two would like each other, once you got over the initial strangeness of the situation. She knows about my collection, and if she knew about you, you can bet she wouldn't allow anyone, even myself to mistreat you!"

"A sister?" He was pleased by Lenneth's interest, Lezard nodding. "What is her name?"

"Mystina." He answered promptly. "She takes good care of me when I let her." He sighed then, thinking of the trouble between them. "I haven't been very nice to her lately...I should really work to make amends with her...somehow..." Lezard shook his head then. "If you can't trust in my intentions, then trust in my sister's."

"I don't even know her..." Lenneth pointed out.

"But you will." He promised, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep Mystina out of this mess for much longer. Lezard wasn't quite ready to accept that his time with Lenneth would end once Mystina discovered them, but he was already making plans to beg a promise out of the Goddess to watch and take care of Lenneth in his stead. It would probably be his final act, but Lezard fought to keep from despairing in front of Lenneth.

"You'll meet each other soon." Lezard continued out loud. "You'll share a great big laugh as she reprimands me for my thoughtless treatment of you."

"Will she let me out of that room?" Lenneth wanted to know, and Lezard nodded.

"If she doesn't, I will." He was coming to a decision now. "You shouldn't have to stay in the place that scares you so. I have plenty of room. I'll just assign one of the other chambers to you...a room meant for sleeping, and not for display."

"I'd like that." She confessed. "It must seem so silly to you, but that room, the collection terrifies me so."

"Even knowing it won't be the death of you?" Lezard asked, and she paused to think about it.

"I suppose the fear is lessened somewhat..." Lenneth admitted at last. "But I think there will always be some association of fear, the memories I have of when I first woke up and realized what that room was. That and the purpose I though I had been brought there for..."

He wisely didn't ask her to speak on her assumptions when she had first woken up, Lezard noting the rain had slowed to a small trickle, and the winds were lessening in force. Lenneth was calming down, and he continued to stroke his fingers through her unbound hair. "I have a library..." He told her, making conversation. "It takes up much of the first floor, shelves and books cases spread throughout several rooms, all stuffed with books." Lezard kept quiet about the fact that his library held all the important books and novels the humans had ever written, a wealth of their knowledge and experiences at his fingertips.

"Oh?" Polite interest was in Lenneth's eyes then. Lezard knew Lenneth knew how to read, though he wasn't sure what level of education she had had. But the idea of gifting her with further knowledge appealed to him, Lezard wanting to start to educate her, in case the unthinkable happened. He still hoped, perhaps fruitlessly so, for Lenneth to remain in the heavens. But if she did not, he wanted her to end up on a continent far from Coriander, with the education and financial backing she would need to build a comfortable life for her.

"There are kinds of books, from tomes written by long winded scholars, to fantastic adventures written by dreamers." His lips twitched then, Lezard teasing her now. "I dare say there might even be a cook book or two."

"If there is, you were remiss in not consulting those books." He was surprised but pleased Lenneth had teased him back, Lezard sure his eyes were twinkling now.

"I probably should have checked, though I found the lessons more fun when instructed by you."

"I must admit I enjoyed teaching you." Confessed Lenneth, the rains finally stopping, the wind lessening to a gentle breeze.

"Then we'll have to hold another lesson." Lezard told her. "I must admit I am eager to learn how to make your favorite pie."

The barest of smiles crossed her lips, Lenneth nodding slowly. A comfortable silence developed between them, and then Lenneth pulled back. "Will I remember any of this?"

That question startled him, Lezard once again noticing how aware she was in the dream. "I don't know." He admitted. "Dreams are not meant to be remembered..."

"Then you'll have to remind me. Please?" Lenneth urged him. "If only to reassure me against those fears that continue to plague me."

"Fear not Lenneth." Lezard said, moving to pressed his lips against her forehead. "I won't let you remain frightened any longer."

"Thank you..." Another hint of a smile, and then she moved back from him, her body starting to fade. He realized then she was close to waking, and he rose up off his knees. He wanted to pause and watch her exit, but knew the dream would turn unstable upon her departing. So with a regretful sigh, he turned and began to walk back the way he came, crushing the dead flowers under his feet.

He nearly missed the hint of life in the field, a flash of green almost lost to all that withered brown. It was a budding rose, it's petals still tightly closed, with only the briefest hint of pink revealed. Lezard smiled when he saw it, realizing her dream was going back to it's tranquil normalcy.

Stepping carefully over the rose, he hurried through the field, keeping an eye out for any other buds. The further out to the field's edges, the more he saw, the flowers slowly being restored to life as he made his exit. He maintained his smile, finding the path that would lead out of the dreamscape, though he did not allow it to lead him back to the mirror in his workshop.

Instead he exited outside the treasure room, Lezard letting out a nervous breath as he smoothed his hands down his clothing. His cape settled around him, and Lezard wondered if he should wait to change his clothes for surely Lenneth would recognize the outfit as that of which he had appeared in inside the dream. He wasn't sure it was wise to let her make the connection that her dreams were realer than she had thought, and yet Lezard was loathe to let her sit any longer alone in the very room that frightened her so.

_~I'll just have to play off my clothing as sheer coincidence.~_ He decided, unlocking the door. Upon his entrance, he saw Lenneth sitting up in the bed, still wearing the plain, blue and white dress he had so recently created for her. But that was all right, Lezard having made a selection of simple dresses for her to favor instead of the decadent creations that were on display in the room.

Lenneth was still trying to shake off her tiredness, hands brushing at her hair and her eyes. "Is it morning?" She asked out loud, and Lezard paused, realizing he had not bothered to check on the time.

There were no windows in this room to confirm if the sun was up, so Lezard shrugged. "You've been sleeping for a while." Was the closest to an answer he would give her. "Do you feel better now?"

"I..." She looked at him now, her hands slowing down their brushing movements of her hair. Her blue eyed gaze swept over him from head to toe, and her lips turned down in a puzzled frown. "I...I've seen you wear that before...haven't I?"

"I'm sure it's just your imagination." Lezard answered smoothly, heading towards the bathroom. He figured Lenneth had to be thirsty, and thus wanted to be obliging in this and as many regards as possible.

"Was it?" He heard Lenneth murmur, and could almost imagine the frown on her face. "No, I don't think so. I...I saw you..." He ran the water in the sink, using a cup to catch it. When he returned to the main room, Lenneth was perched on the edge of the bed, staring at him. "The memory is faint but...you were in my dreams..."

He made no comment to that, merely handing her the glass. Lenneth was still staring at him, even as she began to drink down the contents, her eyes troubled. "We talked." She said when she was finished, Lenneth setting the cup aside. "You...I can't remember...but I think you were trying to reassure me of something..."

"Lenneth, I..." Suddenly he felt it, Mystina's return, her power crashing into his barrier. It cut off his words, Lezard gasping in surprise. Damn but his sister was

determined this day, unleashing a full out assault on his domain. How worried she must be, to be expending this huge amount of power, Lezard feeling regret to frighten Mystina so. He would have to apologize to her once all was said and done, but for now he didn't drop the barrier, desperate to glean a few more moments with Lenneth.

"Yes? What is it?" She was looking at him worriedly, Lenneth having noticed the way he faltered.

"It's nothing, I'm fine." Lezard smiled in an attempt to reassure her, the beating Mystina was doing to the barrier like a pain throbbing in his body. "You surely must be hungry by now. Won't you join me for a meal?"

"I.." She looked down then. "Where? In here?"

"No. I think you and I have both had enough of this room." He held out his hand to Lenneth, mentally urging her to take it. "Lenneth, come with me, and you need never see this room again. Not unless you want to."

She ignored his hand to stare at him, confusion shining in her eyes. "What does that mean? Are you letting me go?" When he hesitated, she sighed, and looked away.

"Of course not." Lenneth said sadly. "I don't know why I thought you'd be any different today..."

"I may not be able to let you return to Coriander and your family, but I can make your stay with me infinitely more comfortable." Lezard said, and inched closer to her. "Lenneth please, take my hand. All I require is that you eat with me."

"Is that really all you require?" She whispered, and he blinked.

"What else could there be?"

She seemed flustered by that response, but she took his hand, allowing Lezard to pull her off the bed. He smiled again, and moved to tuck her hand around his arm, ushering her to the door. He noticed she didn't so much as take one last look at the room's surroundings, Lenneth far too eager to escape from his collection. He felt bad, Lezard wishing he had realized sooner just how upset she was by it.

"I'm sure you would prefer something light for a meal, but I haven't had time to prepare anything. I hope you won't mind the leftovers of the meal we tried to cook last night." He said, and then it happened. Pain so intense he screamed, feeling the barrier start to peel away, as though it was being ripped from his very soul. Faintly he heard Lenneth scream out his name, and then he was on the floor, gazing up at her concerned face.

His lips parted, there was so much he wanted to tell her, and yet couldn't find the words. "Lenneth..." Frustration and regret warred within him, Lezard trying to focus through the repeating echo of pain, wondering why they couldn't have had just a little more time. And on the heels of that thought, the door flew open, violently banging into the wall, and denting the plaster there in.

Lenneth screamed again, and he saw her glance up in time to see the golden blur that burst into the room, with a shower of sparkles. And when those sparkles faded, his sister stood revealed, hands on her hips, her red lips drawn back in a snarl. A snarl that was never voiced, Mystina having taken note of Lenneth, and paused, shock apparent on her face.

To Be Continued!

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, yes...it was going fine...but then I threw a problem into the mix. ^^;; But hopefully Lenneth won't be freaking out like that anymore. But freaking out a new way is all too possible after the events of the end of this chapter! ^^;; You're right, it does feel like Midgard is not the right place for someone like Lenneth. And I worry over what she would choose to do if she knew what was going on with her parents. I mean I can see her upset at that proof, but also, maybe foolish enough to want to try and save them at the cost to herself. -_- Good thing she's got a God watching out for her, eh?

Lord Lezard Valeth, why thank you. :) I'm glad you're enjoying. Yes it did. It was a difficult chapter to start, cause my Lezard kept getting derailed from what I was trying to have him do. The first draft, I got up to ten paragraphs before I realized it wasn't working out, and had to trash them. Almost got derailed from my intents in this version too..(My intent being he needed to be doubting what he did, and then he checks on her parents and gets the reassurance he needed that he's done the right thing for Lenneth.) And MLOL over here. That guy would have some kind of luck if he tracked them down! XD


	11. Chapter 11

There was only seconds to act, Mystina feeling her brother's barrier crumple. She had only the briefest moment of regrets, knowing her actions had surely done him harm. It was never easy for one to destroy another God's magic, and the act did not come without cost to them both. Lezard would be in pain, and Mystina was winded, her own powers near exhausted from the effort it had taken to bring down the barrier her brother had erected.

And yet she didn't hesitate, lunging forward, her feet already taking leave of the ground, even as her hands shot forth a rapid burst of ether. That ether charged forward through the house, surging up the stairs, and breaking down the door to Lezard's treasure room. Mystina was fast on it's heels, her arrival being heralded by a million sparks, golden energy cascading off her in waves.

She barely got more than a foot into the room before she stopped up short, Mystina's eyes going huge as she stared at the scene before her. She looked not at her brother, or Lezard's collection, but at the girl besides him. The HUMAN, whose own eyes were on Mystina, blue and bright with fear and shock. Her lips had parted, but no sound followed her initial scream, the girl was just gaping aghast at her.

Mystina felt her own face must echo that expression, she could barely think of what to say as she stared at what was Lezard's latest acquisition. The girl was lovely, even in her fright, her ankle length hair bound back in a loose braid. Her hair was colored a silver blue that seemed to shimmer in the lights of the room, favoring one hue more than the other, depending on how the light hit it.

Mystina quickly looked past the girl's beauty, looking for signs of abuse. She didn't see any, nor did she taste much of Lezard's ether signature upon the girl, leaving her to relax slightly as she realized he had at least behaved himself as far as romancing the girl. Not that it made things any better, just the act of taking the girl from her world was a crime, one whose punishments she didn't even want to imagine.

She closed her eyes, feeling the tremble go through her, Mystina wondering how and if she could fix this sin for her brother. She refused to contemplate what the other Gods would do, what Lord Odin would decree, Mystina trying to see how much damage control she could do for the situation. She let out a shaky breath, not at all pleased to hear how hoarse her voice sounded in the moment.

"What...what have you done?"

Her voice seemed to galvanize the pair into action, Lezard attempting to sit up while the girl took a step back. Mystina watched her like a hawk, fearing the girl's actions, not trusting that she would not try to leave this room. Mystina knew that for the human to leave the room would only invite disaster, especially now with the barrier cast down.

"Mystina..." Lezard said, but she was shaking her head, not wanting to hear what he had to say.

"I knew!" Mystina continued, eyes narrowing at the girl. "I knew there was something different about the latest theft of yours. I could feel it! Not just in the way you acted, but in the energy that was in this house. Energy so different from all the other things you've stolen." She suddenly raised a hand, pressing it over her mouth. "Oh by the holy realm...if I was able to sense it, so will the others!"

Her brother looked startled at that, and she nearly moaned. "You didn't even consider that a possibility, did you?"

"Well, no..." Lezard admitted, making Mystina want to scream. "But you don't understand..."

"Of course I don't!" A humorless laugh, Mystina shaking out her wild, waist length blonde hair. "How could I even hope to understand you, when you've clearly taken leave of all your senses! What were you thinking? Bringing a mortal here?"

"There's outside factors that influenced this decision..." Lezard admitted, slowly rising to his feet. He still seemed shaky, swaying in place as he looked at her. "But sister...trust me, this was no idle fancy that moved me to do this..."

"It would be worse if you had done this on mere impulse!" Mystina snapped back. "I always thought your thefts were getting out of hand, but to take a human from her home?" She abruptly made a decision, wondering if it wasn't too late to save her foolish brother. "She has to go back...back to where she belongs!"

The girl took another step back at Mystina's sudden advance, and then Lezard was between them, her brother glowing faintly with divine energy. Mystina gasped and stared at him as though he was a stranger, recognizing the display of his aura as a threat.

"She's can't go back there, Mystina." Lezard told her, voice low and dangerous sounding. "Not as things currently stand."

Mystina stared at him aghast, barely taking in his last words. All she could register was that he was taking a defensive stance against her, as though he was preparing to fight his own sister in order to keep the mortal. A mortal he had no right to, Mystina glaring back at Lezard, and allowing her own divine energy to flare up. She didn't want to have to fight her own brother, but Mystina was prepared to knock some sense into Lezard.

"Stand aside brother." Mystina ordered, advancing until she was toe to toe with Lezard. "I'm doing this for your own good..."

"I'm touched by your sisterly concern." There was no hint of sarcasm in his words, though his amethyst colored eyes gleamed with menace. "But I won't let that concern allow you to just take Lenneth from me."

The girl, Lenneth as she had been named, made a sound then, a kind of strangled gasp that drew Mystina's eyes to her. Lenneth had her hands clasped together, and was staring at them both with wide eyed fright. She wondered how much Lenneth was understanding of what was going on, and of what if anything her brother had told her about where she was, and who-what he was.

"I should have seen this coming." Mystina said at last. "I should have known your obsession with the mortals wouldn't stop at just taking the things they create. Why be satisfied with just their things, when you could own a person as well. But Lezard! It is not your right to take a human from that realm. You can't keep her, you can't treat her like you would these other things!"

"I realize that now!" Lezard snapped back, voice coming out louder. "But I also know I can't return her, can't turn a blind eye and send her back to the fate that awaits her."

"You're meddling in human affairs!" Mystina shouted back. "A thing that is expressly forbidden to us! How many taboos have you broken in this act? What other lives have you altered in bringing her to this realm?" A shifty eyed look from her brother that let her know he knew exactly what he had done, and the damage that had followed. "Lezard!" She cried out his name in exasperation.

"I'm sorry Mystina..." He began, but she cut him off with another shout.

"NO! You're not! Not at all! You're just sorry you got caught!"

"I'm sorry for the distress I'm causing you and Lenneth." Lezard retorted. "But if you'll just allow me to..."

"To what?" A sound from behind him had them both turning towards Lenneth. The girl had dropped to her knees, as though unable to stand on her own anymore. Her eyes were wide eyed with wonder now, and she looked back and forth between them both. It was no surprise to Mystina when Lenneth suddenly dropped herself to the floor, the girl prostrating herself before them even as she began murmuring in a reverent tone.

"Oh Gods forgive me!"

Lezard quickly knelt down, attempting to touch Lenneth. "There's nothing to forgive." He said, and she gasped, and seemed to flinch back from his touch. If anything she pressed more firmly against the floor, practically burying her face in the carpet in worship. Lezard stared at the human girl with frustration in his eyes, and Mystina could only gape as he began talking to her.

"You have nothing to be frightened of Lenneth." He was saying. "You yourself have done nothing wrong..."

"But I..." came Lenneth's whispered answer. "I must have! I must have done something..."

"Why would you say that?" Lezard wanted to know, and without looking up, Lenneth continued.

"I tempted you into taking me!"

"Lenneth, no! You did no such thing!" Lezard insisted in protest, which only caused Mystina to let out a disgusted snort. That earned her an angry look from her brother, but his attention was focused on the girl, trying to get her to get up off the floor. "Lenneth, there's no need for this.."

"But...you're Gods." Came Lenneth's whispered answer. "I shouldn't even look at you, let alone stand as though I am your equal."

"Lenneth...no...don't think like that..." Lenneth still refused to get up off the floor, leaving Lezard to stare up at Mystina in helpless frustration.

Mystina let out a deep sigh, and joined her brother and Lenneth on the floor. "He's right you know..." She said softly, reaching out to touch Lenneth's braid. "You've done nothing wrong..." A sharp look at her brother, Mystina making sure he knew she placed the blame of this situation solely on him.

"But..."

"But nothing." Insisted Mystina. "It was my brother who did this terrible deed to you. If anyone should be blamed, it's him. In fact..." Her lips twitched then, Mystina amused at the thought in her mind. "If anyone should be down on the floor, begging for forgiveness, it should be Lezard and not you." She heard her brother grumble something under his breath, but the man was otherwise silent.

"After all..." continued Mystina, managing to draw Lenneth to an upright position. "You didn't ask him to take you, did you?"

"No." Lenneth shook her head no, flinching a little when Mystina touched both her cheeks.

Mystina gave the girl a gentle smile, and stroked her cheeks. "I thought so. It's all on him, this sin of his."

"Gods can sin?" Lenneth asked, amazed.

"Oh yes, even Gods are not infallible. My brother most of all." Mystina glanced at her brother, much of the fondness of her expression eaten away by her annoyance.

"You're the Goddess Albina aren't you?" Lenneth asked, and Mystina paused.

"Is that what the mortals are currently calling me?" She wondered out loud. Lenneth looked so confused then, Mystina stroking back her stray curls over her ears. "I've had so many names...Albina, Milda, Oshun..."

"But you're sister to Coeus yes? The God of Intellect?"

"Yes, but I bet right now neither you or I think my brother Lezard is very smart." Lenneth didn't so much as giggle at that, looking too serious in the moment. Mystina sighed, realizing the human probably thought it would be blasphemous to laugh at a God, even if another one made fun of him first.

"If you're done insulting my intelligence..." Lezard began, tone dry and sarcastic. "I would have a moment to speak to you alone."

"Fine. Because I want to speak to you too." One last caress of Lenneth's hair, Mystina making sure the girl wasn't about to throw herself back to the floor in reverent worship. "I won't be gone long. Trust me when I say I will..."

"Do not make promises you might not be able to keep." Grumbled Lezard in warning. Without batting an eyelash, Mystina altered her words.

"I will make sure to keep my brother in check around you." Was that relief in Lenneth's eyes? She wasn't sure, but she pushed up off her knees, taking Lenneth up with her. Lezard hovered close besides them, seeming to vibrate with impatience as he waited for Mystina to step away from the human. Right now she didn't trust her own brother not to do something stupid, especially where the girl was concerned.

"Come brother dear." Mystina said, snagging hold of his right arm, and all but dragging him out of the room. "We will have words." Lezard actually stumbled as she pulled him, the door swinging shut behind them at an insistent bit of ether. Even with Lenneth locked behind that door, Mystina could not relax completely, turning to stare at Lezard expectantly. "Well?" She demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Do you have any way to explain yourself and the reason behind taking that girl?"

Her brother took his time answering, pausing to pull off his glasses and use a handkerchief on the immaculate lenses. Mystina bit back her impatience, tapping a foot in agitation as she waited for him to speak.

"I had to act Mystina." Lezard said at last, putting his glasses back on. "I had to save her from that fate she was facing!"

"Fate, what fate!" asked Mystina, and Lezard sighed.

"Her parents. They were going to sell her." She opened her mouth to protest, to point out that humans sold each other all the time, but Lezard was speaking once more. "They were eager to be rid of her, to consign Lenneth to a life as a whore! I couldn't allow that to happen!"

Mystina wasn't quite sure what to say to that, seeing the way his eyes blazes as he spoke, the passion and determination in his voice. Her silence was more than enough for her brother, he began pacing before her, muttering out things.

"That man who bought her, the one who owns the brothel is despicable. Almost as bad as her own parents." Lezard grumbled. "I actually don't know who I despise more...Lenneth's parents, or the brothel owner...all three are deserving of a good smiting!"

"Lezard!" gasped Mystina, dismayed. "You know it is forbidden for us to kill a mortal!" He gave her a bleak look, and Mystina thought she paled in response, seeing how strong his desire to break that law was. "Just what is going on with you?" She demanded harshly. "You're doing things that are extreme even for you. You've kidnapped that girl, you've locked me out of your house...and now you contemplate killing mortals?"

"I..." He fell silent, looking away from her. Mystina bristled with annoyance, and stepped up to him, grabbing hold of his face to force his gaze back to her concerned one.

"Why do you care so much? Why show so much concern over this one mortal?" Mystina demanded. "Lezard, you are too involved with her, your emotions too stirred up for this to be a completely random stealing. Just how long have you been plotting to take Lenneth?"

"I can say with all honestly I never PLANNED to take her." Lezard admitted, touching his hands to her wrists. "It just...sort of happened."

"Sort of happened?" Mystina asked with loads of suspicion in her voice. "How? How did you even discover this girl?"

"I don't remember the first time..." He then shook his head, breaking free of his grip. "That's a lie...I think I'll never forget the first time I saw her. She intrigued me...enough for me to start visiting her in her dreams...Oh Mystina, if you could only know her the way I do...you'd see the pureness of her soul, and why she doesn't deserve to be corrupted by her parents and the other humans of that realm!"

Mystina stepped back, shock apparent in her voice. "You've been visiting her in her dreams?" A rapid nod followed those words, Mystina sighing. "For how long now?"

"Just about two years..." Lezard admitted, looking sheepish in the moment. "I've had extensive time to get to know her..." He smiled then, eyes looking distant as he spoke. "She likes flowers...she loves being outdoors. She dreams often, even if they never come true. Lenneth is always thinking the best of everyone, even the people as cruel and abusive as her parents." He sighed then, but his eyes had turned angry. "Pathetic wretches, taking advantage of her like that, working her like she was their own slave. And through it all, she never complained, never thought an ill word about them. She's a good girl Mystina...nothing bad should ever happen to her..."

"Oh..." That was all Mystina could manage to say, Lezard was continuing.

"Nothing ever will happen." He nodded, as though agreeing with himself. "I will make sure of it. And if not me, then you!"

"Me?" Mystina squeaked out, and he nodded again.

"Yes. I know I will...have to pay for this crime. For breaking Odin's law. I'm prepared for it, willing to die even, so long as I can secure her future. A safe one, a happy one, one far away from her parents and Coriander. But to do that, I will need your help...you're right, I didn't think this through. If you could sense her energy, then the others will notice as well...we have to act fast, you have to promise me you'll look out for her. That you'll take care of her in my place."

"Lezard, why would you go to such lengths for a mortal, for any of the humans?" Mystina demanded when he fell silent. She saw her question surprised him, Lezard blinking owlishly behind his glasses. "You're willing to DIE for Lenneth, to risk facing the oblivion that awaits a God who has fallen from grace. Why? Don't you even know?"

"I...I care for her..." Lezard finally said, his voice a soft whisper. "I've always wanted to see her happy, to provide a better life for her. And now is my chance..."

"Even if you won't be around to see that happiness of hers?" When he nodded, Mystina felt a pang in her heart, her expression turning to pure sympathy. "Oh brother. I'm so, so sorry..." She was already moving to embrace him, needing a hug as much as she needed to give one. "To have fallen...and for a human at that." She felt his startled reaction, Lezard trying to pull back.

"What do you mean? That I've fallen?"

"You don't even know, do you?" Mystina asked, refusing to let him break the hug. "Oh Lezard, leave it to you to miss the obvious." A tsking sound followed those words, Mystina pulling back enough to gaze into his eyes. She wanted to see the reaction to her next words, sure it would be something unforgettable. "Lezard, it sounds like you are in LOVE with Lenneth."

His own eyes widened, he looked completely shocked, and save for a few sputtered out sounds he was speechless. She didn't laugh at his reaction, just continuing to show her sympathy, Mystina knowing what an impossibility this love surely was.

"Love..." He finally said, and she nodded. "Impossible."

"It is not impossible." Mystina insisted. "And trust a love Goddess, even one that is a minor deity, to recognize love when it blossoms." She sighed then. "I always wanted you to find love...I just never expected it would be with a mortal...!"

Lezard looked like he was still trying to process what she had said, and he abruptly pulled away from her to pace. She followed him, radiating her concern and sympathy, listening as he began to mumble things under his breath.

"I hadn't realized it...I used to never care about clothing until after I met her. It was when Lenneth came into my life, that I began stealing those gowns...I wasn't even aware of it, but they were all tailor made to fit a girl of her size." He turned, and nearly crashed into Mystina, but no apology was exchanged. "Could I have been...subconsciously taking those gowns for Lenneth?"

"I..." She didn't really know what he was talking about, Mystina shrugging.

"I used to spend so much time watching her too...Day and night, even the bad things, even the moments that upset me to see. I loved going into her dreams, trying to bring her happiness to combat the sad reality of her life..." A shake of his head, and then Lezard was moving again. "I never planned to bring her here, but when I learned what her parents were intending, it just happened. I knew I couldn't leave her to that fate...so I took her..."

"We'll have to bring her back to Midgard." Mystina interrupted and he whirled around to face her.

"Mystina, we can't!" His eyes were pained then, a hoarse moan escaping Lezard. "I can't let her go...I won't..."

"Even if it means your death and destruction at Odin's hands?" Mystina asked, her heart sinking when her brother did not so much as hesitate.

"Yes, even if that happens to me."

Mystina sighed then, running a hand through her hair. "Well, brother, I think it's time we start making plans then. For both you and your human."

"Mystina?"

"I think the first order of business is to bring Lenneth to the kitchens" continued Mystina, all businesslike. "Poor girl looks half starved." A chiding look then, Mystina tsking. "I bet you haven't even thought to feed her in all this time."

"That's not exactly true..." Lezard said with a guilty flush to his cheeks.

"Go!" Mystina laughed, pushing Lezard in the direction of his treasure room. "Go and fetch Lenenth. I'll be down in the kitchen getting things ready."

"Thanks sister." Lezard looked grateful, giving her hand a squeeze before hurrying back to the treasure room. Mystina didn't pause to watch him go, already heading down the stair case. Her mind was whirling a mile a minute, trying to think of all possible routes this situation could take. She tried not to let it depress her the fact that most outcomes ended with her brother dead or imprisoned, Mystina once again wondering if she could not somehow persuade her brother to return Lenneth to Midgard. Albeit with remarkably improved circumstances, Lenneth avoiding both her traitorous parents and the whore houses.

She worried about all these things but mostly, Mystina wanted to get to know Lenneth, to see the girl who had finally won her brother's heart. To see, and to judge her, to deem whether or not she was truly worthy of Lezard's devotion and sacrifice. Mystina wasn't sure what she would do if she found Lenneth lacking, but she prayed the girl would prove to be everything Lezard had said she was. Or the heavens help them all!

To Be Continued!

Michelle

God Emperor Nex, Thanks! And yes, that's the plan! Course Lezard doesn't tolerate such things when it comes to his favorite human. Hence the desperate kidnapping! XD

Lord Lezard Valeth, I'm giggling over the cliffhanger. It was quite the dramatic one, yes? Thanks regarding the dream sequence. I got worried it would seem too wierd and surreal when I was proofreading the chapter. So I am glad to hear that someone liked it! :) I originally tried to write 11 from Lezard's point of view, but it wasn't working out for me. So I switched things up to a Mystina point of view. I hope to have another Mystina point of view where she realizes her brother sucks at the love thing. XD


	12. Chapter 12

Lenneth gave in to her first impulse the instant the door to the treasure room was locked. A sort of hysterical sound escaped her lips, the girl collapsing to the floor, her body no longer able to support her standing. Her thoughts were in a frenzy, mind reeling as she tried to process just what she had learned a scant few minutes ago. One word was repeating over and over, her thoughts practically screaming it. Gods! It barely seemed possible, and yet here they were, Lenneth knowing what she had seen and heard.

Things were falling into place, Lenneth remembering the golden shower of sparkles surrounding Lezard that day she had fallen down his stair case. He had convinced her she had imagined that, that it had been nothing more than a dream. But his sister, the Goddess, had arrived in a similar manner, sparkles practically exploding around her. The door had also been touched, thrown open in a violent manner, hard enough to dent the wall's plaster before the Goddess had made her flashy entrance into the room.

The Goddess hadn't even tried to hide what she and her brother were, and once the initial shock and fear wore off, Lenneth had reacted accordingly. Awe had filled her, along with this self deprecating feeling of not being worthy enough to stand before them. As soon as she realized that thought, she had dropped to the floor, prostrating herself accordingly in the hopes she wouldn't be struck down by divine energy.

Lenneth still didn't understand what had happened next, both Lezard and his sister working to get her to sit up. The Goddess, as beautiful as one expected a divine being to be, had had kindness in her eyes, a sympathetic expression worn on her face. Her voice had taken on a soothing tone, her touch gentle as she helped Lenneth to raise up off the floor. Lenneth couldn't help but be in awe of her, even as she worried over what all of this meant.

Her initial fear was that she had died, and Lenneth almost started weeping at the thought. It made sense in a way, Lenneth knowing that the heavens were where good souls went when the body died. But she quickly dismissed that worry, Lenneth realizing this room did not match up with the paradise the temple priest and priestesses had painted.

She held on to that thought as her reassurance, Lenneth trying not to panic even as she began piecing together what little she knew about her current situation. She was further away from her home than she had ever imagined, Lenneth recalling Mystina's words, the Goddess speaking of realms. That surely meant she had left the mortal realm, and Lenneth could only pray her assumption was right that she was now in the heavens. The only other option was too horrific to contemplate, and nearly made her start crying harder.

Trying to regain her composure, Lenneth tried to understand the how and whys of being here. She wasn't sure if she had died or not, but there was one way to make sure this wasn't a dream. Lenneth quickly pinched herself, the squeeze on her arm hard and drawn out. It hurt, in a way it wouldn't have if she had been dreaming all of this up. She didn't know how to prove she was alive or dead though, Lenneth frowning for she knew the chances of Gods going among live mortals was rare indeed.

The holy men of the temples were full of stories about the Gods, and while everyone always hoped for miracles and blessings, there was few examples of the divine's might. It seemed the Gods were content to rule from afar, to keep watch over the mortals, but never interfere with their lives except in extreme cases. It had always seemed to Lenneth the Gods wanted the mortals to survive on their own, and if they passed the test of their lives, then and only then would they be welcome among the Gods in paradise.

Lenneth had always lived her life along the path of good, trying to do no harm to others. She didn't dare presume where she would end up when she died, but Lenneth had hoped she would have done enough good to earn a chance at paradise. That she could be here now, surprised her as much as Lenneth knew that something had to have gone very wrong indeed. Especially for her to be here alive and whole.

Lenneth tried to think, to find if she had ever done anything that was worthy enough of catching a God's attention. But she came up short each and every time, Lenneth not understanding why Lezard would take her, save on a whim of his. A whim that had her treated not as a person but a thing, some object to be admired. This was something she had never imagined a God capable of, that one would go to such extremes to interfere with a mortal's life.

Her mind still spinning a mile a minute, Lenneth gave a start as she realized something else. Lezard had made mention time and time again of how her parents had treated her. A treatment he did not like, the God's expression turning angry whenever he spoke of her father and mother. That alone was enough to make Lenneth even more frightened, the girl fearing the anger might make him do something extreme. And yet, she couldn't help but wonder if what he said about her parent's and their behavior was true. After all, why would a God lie to her about that, about any of it, especially that bit about the brothels?

She was suddenly brushing at her eyes, angrily trying to stop her crying. The tears wanted to flow faster, as if marking her realization that it was true. Her parents had indeed tried to sell her. And not just to anyone, but someone who would make a whore out of her. Thank God that fate had been adverted, and then Lenneth was snorting, shaking her head as she realized she literally had a real God to thank.

Lenneth was full of many emotions, all aimed at different people. Her fear was overwhelming, but anger was there. Anger that her parents had finally gone too far in trying to sell her into a life of prostitution. Relief that she had been saved from that fate, gratitude swelling in her heart, though she couldn't feel entirely happy about this current situation. As awe inspiring as it was to be among Gods, she didn't know what her ultimate fate would be. Would she have to spend the rest of her life in this room? She didn't know, and her shock had been such that she had tuned out much of what the God and Goddess had been saying to one another.

She almost didn't notice that the Goddess had been upset with Lezard, though her shock at seeing Lenneth had been palpable. The Goddess hadn't expected to see a human with the God, and hadn't been able to school her expression to hide it. That let Lenneth know Mystina did not know of her arrival in the heavens until the Goddess had burst into the room.

But why would Lezard try to hide her from others? Was he taking this treasure thing too far, keeping Lenneth as a pretty possession meant for his eyes only? And yet he hadn't acted too put out about his sister's arrival, calm and collected except when the Goddess tried to draw closer to Lenneth that first time.

Just what kind of situation did she find herself in? She did not know, everything seeming so alien and surreal. Her eyes drew to the tapestry hanging on the wall, and she nearly giggled then, so overcome with the absurdity of all that had happened. Lenneth could remember what she had thought when she spied Lezard's accurate depiction in the weaving, the threads pulled together to give details to his face. She had all but accused him of vanity, Lenneth assuming he was a blaspheming fiend who had delusions of grandeur to be drawn as a God.

Now she marveled at the tapestry for getting the details right, and not just for Lezard, but his sister. The Goddess, Albina or Mystina as she preferred to be called, was captured in perfect detail, with her long, gold gleaming hair, and sparkling blue eyes. If these two were so accurately portrayed, then what about the other Gods? Lenneth's eyes quickly scanned over them, the girl wondering if she would ever meet any of the rest of the divine pantheon.

She felt a sense of foreboding at that, Lenneth knowing she wasn't worthy of the two gods she had met, let alone to meet the entire divine congregation. A tremor went through her, Lenneth wondering if she might lose her mind before Lezard and Mystina returned.

She brought her fingers to her temples, Lenneth massaging there, trying to stave off a headache. She wanted to pray for strength, and didn't know who to direct her prayers to. Nor was she comforted by the thought that there were two very real, and very near Gods who might come to answer her prayers personally. Lenneth blushed suddenly, remembering how she had done her fair share of praying these past few days. Had Lezard heard? Had her heartfelt pleas to be saved from him amused or angered him?

Lenneth nearly moaned in embarrassment, covering her face with her hands. How foolish he must find her, wanting to be saved from he who had deemed himself her personal savior. She still was at a loss as to why the God would trouble himself with her, and she wondered if her time with him was almost at an end. Would he bother to keep her now that his true nature was revealed? Especially after he had been so careful to hide his divinity!

She was still pondering that when the door opened, Lenneth quickly blinking back her tears. Lezard stood framed in the doorway, expression far more weary than she could ever remember seeing. His eyes, that dazzling purple shade, a hue she now knew no mortal could possess, was filled with sadness that he couldn't hide. Lenneth wondered and worried about that sadness, even as she was galvanized into action.

"Oh please no!" She heard Lezard cry out, but Lenneth was already pressing down into the carpet in worship. She still didn't trust that this wasn't what she was supposed to do, even as Lenneth heard his footsteps hurrying towards her. "Lenneth no, stop this bowing at once."

She broke out into goose bumps at his touch on her shoulders, Lezard drawing her up right. "But..."

"No...don't." He said, his grip tightening in an effort to keep her from dropping back down. He was kneeling before her, and if anything he looked even more sorrowful, Lezard holding onto her. "I didn't bring you here to bow and scrape before me!"

"You didn't..." Lenneth repeated in acknowledgment, then quickly lowered her gaze from his. She shouldn't be so bold, shouldn't look him in the eyes, Lenneth thinking she wasn't worthy of such an act. Nor did she think herself worthy enough of any of it, not his concern, nor his sympathy to her plight. Where once in response to his words, she would have been snide, now she was subdued, Lenneth almost meek when faced with a divine being.

"Aren't you...aren't you gonna ask me why I brought you here?" Lezard asked, and she allowed a shrug of her shoulders.

"It's not my place to question a God's motives.." She didn't have to look at him to imagine the frown that crossed his face, Lezard's fingers tightening on her shoulders.

"Damn it Lenneth!" He exclaimed, his words a loud outburst of sound. "This is exactly why I didn't want you to know...You're already acting differently around me. There's no need..."

"No need?" She almost looked at him then, gasping in surprise. "Your holiness, you...you're a God! And I'm just a human. I thought you some kind of noble, or a very rich thief, but you are so much more. The differences between us are so vast, I am but an insect in comparison to one such as you."

"Don't ever let me hear you say such a thing again!" His voice was harsh now, he was actually shaking her so that she couldn't help but glance up at him. "So what if I'm a God? It shouldn't matter!" But Lenneth knew it did. "If anything, you are the better one of us both."

"Me?" She gasped, eyes going wide.

"Yes! You're so good and so pure, a light radiates within you. Your soul is like no other I've known...you'd never do anything bad, never even contemplate it. Which is more than I can say for myself." Lezard looked rueful then. "You were right Lenneth, when you called me a thief." One hand left her shoulder to do a gesture that encompassed the room. "I've taken so many things, stolen from so many of the humans. All for my own private collection. The Gods don't look down on those who steal out of hunger, but I stole for fun, for personal use."

She didn't know what to say to that, though her mind desperately tried to put a positive spin on Lezard's stealing. Lezard didn't wait for her to respond, returning his hand to her shoulder. "I even did the ultimate crime, taking a person, taking you from your home."

"But you had a good reason to!" Lenneth quickly protested. "You wanted to save me from my parents, wanted to keep me from ending up in a brothel..."

"Yes." His head cocked to the side, Lezard studying her. "So you believe me now?"

"Of course." Lenneth answered automatically. "You're a God. You have no reason to lie." Instead of relaxing him, Lezard frown deepened, the God shaking his head no.

"I didn't want it to be like this." She made a questioning sound, unable to hide her confusion. "I didn't want things to change between us. But you're letting what I am affect how you think and act. You're so quick to believe in anything I say now! It's not right Lenneth! You shouldn't trust in everything I say, just because of what I am!"

"Then..." She spoke slowly, as though trying to wrap her mind around everything he had just told her. "Then what should I do? What should I believe?"

"Believe in yourself." He answered after a pause. "Follow your gut instincts. Don't change your behavior just to please me. That means no more bowing, and certainly not taking everything I say as fact! You have to treat me like a person, and that means I have to earn your trust. I want..." A deep exhale, Lezard pausing. "I want to be your friend, but I have to earn that right."

Lenneth was left blinking owlishly, trying to process the thought of a God being her friend. "Does..." She hesitated a moment. "Does this mean I shouldn't thank you for saving me?"

An odd look in his eyes, Lenneth couldn't tell if Lezard was frustrated or pained. "No. Not yet at least." He amended. "Don't thank me for something until we know for sure I've accomplished it."

"What does that mean?" Lenneth wanted to know, but Lezard slid his arms down her sleeve covered arms. He reached her hands, and then used his hold to help pull her to her feet. "Lord Lezard?"

"I want to be your friend, not your master!" Lezard snapped, turning away from her. "That means treating me as an equal, and calling me by my name with no titles attached."

"I...I don't know if I can do that." She admitted, fretfully.

"Try. For me." Lezard urged as he led her out of the room. They paused outside it, Lezard taking the time to close and lock the door. "I meant it when I said you wouldn't have to return to this room..."

She couldn't hide her relief, not completely, Lenneth following Lezard as he led her down the stairs. She noticed the windows were still covered, and she began to try and figure out why. What could they be hiding? Was it forbidden for a human to see what paradise looked like?

"I'm sorry you can't go out..." He seemed to pick up on her thoughts, leaving Lenneth alarmed. Were gods capable of reading minds? She didn't know, nor was she sure she liked this aspect of his powers. "It's not safe for you to be seen...not yet anyway."

"Is that why you wouldn't let me open the window in the kitchen?" Lenneth asked, and he nodded.

"Yes. I...I didn't want to risk the wrong people seeing you."

"The other Gods?" Lenneth's question earned Lezard's hesitation as a response. "Will they not want me here?"

"It's...difficult to know." Lezard finally said. "How they will react, what they will do, and if-when they will discover your presence here." She was shivering in response, sensing the dark foreboding in his words. It didn't take any feat of genius to realize Lezard must have done that which the other Gods might not approve of.

"Oh will you look at the two of you!" The Goddess stood in the doorway of the kitchen, an apron over her elaborately fancy dress. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she was tapping a foot impatiently. "Stop with the gloom and doom brother, you are making her frown with worry."

Lenneth was moving to bow, and Mystina made an annoyed sound. Lezard's hands were suddenly on her, stopping her from completing the action. "Sorry sis...still trying to get her used to not doing that."

"It's fine." Mystina said, giving Lenneth a small smile. "I know this must be difficult for you dear. But try not to be so on edge. My brother and I are pretty laid back. You won't get in trouble for acting normally around us."

"Normal..." repeated Lenneth, wondering if normal would ever again apply to her life.

"Now come on. I bet you're starving." Mystina was already turning to reenter the kitchen. Her voice carried out into the hall, the Goddess cheerful. "That no good louse I call a brother has most likely not been feeding you."

"That's not exactly true." Lenneth quickly corrected her. "He...he made me a sandwich. And...well...I tried to teach him how to cook."

"Lezard, learning how to cook? Now that's a miracle if ever I heard of one!" laughed Mystina as Lenneth and Lezard entered the kitchen. "Heavens know I tried to teach him myself, and let's just say he's the kind of cook that can burn water!"

"I'm not that bad!" protested a flustered Lezard, who was trying to lead Lenneth over to the table. But she was looking around the kitchen, seeing the bubbling pots and smelling the meat cooking in the oven. Mystina looked like she had her hands full, and Lenneth immediately pulled her hand away from Lezard. He looked surprised, but she was already moving to fetch an apron of her own.

"What can I do to help?" She asked the Goddess, securing the apron's ties in place.

"Oh no!" protested the Goddess with a laugh. "Not this time Lenneth. Just sit tight, and let me handle everything. You can cook the next meal, all right?"

"Are you sure?" Lenneth asked, still looking at all the things Mystina was cooking.

"I'm positive!" Mystina confirmed. "You just scoot and keep my brother company."

Lenneth was still hesitating when Mystina gave her a little push in the direction of the table. Lezard was already seated, trying not to be obvious in how anxious the interaction between the two women was making him. Lenneth gave him a nervous half smile, and sat down, apron still in place. It didn't feel right to her to be waited on by a Goddess, and she kept glancing back at Mystina hoping for the chance to be of some use.

"You'll like what my sister is making." Lezard said, trying to initiate a conversation. "She's an excellent cook."

"It's food fit for the gods." Mystina's joking comment had Lezard wincing, and he quickly gestured at his sister to be quiet. "What? What did I say?"

"Er...Lenneth is having issues with the God thing." Lezard said at last, and understanding dawned on Mystina's face.

"Oh honey. No! I was just joking. This food isn't anything special, it certainly isn't anything that should be limited to the gods alone."

"I...I see." Lenneth murmured, and played with her apron. "This is going to take some getting used to." She added, and Mystina nodded.

"In more ways than one." She muttered, hurrying over to stir a pot's contents. As she did this, Mystina's voice took on a questioning tone. "So Lenneth...Lezard hasn't told me much about you." A tsking sound followed those words. "My brother is determined to keep you all to himself."

"Mystina!" snapped a flustered Lezard, but she barely reacted.

"Where exactly are you from?" continued Mystina, and Lenneth glanced away from the red faced Lezard.

"I'm from a village called Coriander. It's not that big a place, real small, and growing smaller yet. People are always leaving for greener pastures." Lenneth sighed. "My family has a farm in Coriander..."

"A farm Lenneth runs almost single-handedly!" interjected a proud Lezard.

"It's not a very successful farm though." Lenneth added hastily. "But we've managed to survive because of it for years. At least until recently." She sighed, and blinked back tears. "I guess...that's why my parents decided to do what they had too..."

"Don't try to make excuses for them!" snapped Lezard, and she flinched back from the sudden anger in his eyes.

"I'm sorry." She quickly apologized, even as Mystian came over to the table.

"Don't be. If Lezard is right, it's just your nature to see the best in everyone and their motives. Plus, no one wants to believe their parents would be capable of doing such an awful thing to their own child." Sympathized Mystina. "However, the fact remains...they did try to sell you. And from what my brother tells me, to a real nasty piece of work." The Goddess actually shuddered then. "I wouldn't want to be in any girls' shoes who gains the attention of that man. But!" She brightened then. "He won't be able to find you here...so you're safe...safe for now..."

"For now? What does that mean?" Lenneth asked, worried confusion in her voice.

"Well..." A shift of her glance to Lezard, Mystina hesitating. He was frowning, shaking his head no. "It's best you not fret about that for now."

"But how can I not?" Lenneth wanted to know, but Mystina was already hurrying back to check on one of her pots. Lenneth glanced at Lezard, but he studiously avoided her gaze, fingers playing with the salt and pepper shakers on the table. "Lezard?"

"It's nothing." He answered with some reluctance showing. "My sister just misspoke."

Lenneth frowned, staring at him some more, but his expression remained the same, Lezard closely guarding whatever secrets he still had. She sighed then, wondering if the God would ever be forthcoming with all his secrets, even as she thought they weren't all hers to know.

I'm unsure about the ending paragraphs. I had it go in a slightly different direction, because I want Lenneth to learn about the trouble Lezard would get in because of her, in a different way. But either version doesn't feel completely right to me...-_-

To Be Continued...

Michelle

Alpha Huntress, thank you! I'm glad you feel there came to be an understanding between them in the dream. And hopefully one will follow in the waking world as well! Even with the addition of Mystina into the mix! Yeah...Lezard did wrong, even if it was for the right reasons. Glad you could see that! :D I'm glad Mystina came off like she had a Godly thoughts rather than human thought pattern. And she was so into the damage control bit! And right you are again, Lenneth will have a hard enough time seeing herself as worthy just to be around them, and you can bet it will be hard on her to find out a God loves her romantically!


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